• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.36-43
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• 2012

Purpose: Drying characteristics of the sliced carrot and green pumpkin were investigated by using the waste heat dryer. Methods: The effects of drying temperature ($T$) and slice thickness affecting drying time were analyzed. Mathematical models for the drying curves were determined with statistical analysis of drying data. Effective diffusivity was determined for the slices of carrot and green pumpkin under various drying conditions. Results: Drying time was reduced at the drying conditions of thinner slice and higher drying temperature. Moisture ratio ($MR$) according to drying time ($t$) was well presented as an exponential function at all of drying conditions for the slices of carrot and green pumpkin with the determination coefficient ($r^2$) of >0.99. The values of effective diffusivity ($D_{ff}$) of the slices for carrot and green pumpkin were increased with increasing the drying temperature. The relationship between Ln($D_{ff}$) and $1/T$ was linear with the determination coefficient ($r^2$) of >0.97. Conclusions: Drying model was well established as an exponential function at all of drying conditions for drying samples.