Theory
A tray dryer is a type of drying equipment that consists of enclosed insulated chambers and
trays stacked on top of one another in a cart. Dryers are employed in operations where drying
and heating are critical components of the industrial manufacturing process, such as food,
pharmaceutical, dye, and chemical manufacturing, among others. (insert reference tray dryer)
The materials to be dried, whether solid or wet, are placed on the trays. Tray dryers work on the
principle of convection, which involves hot air circulating through the chamber, delivering heat
to the items on the trays and evaporating moisture. (insert reference tray dryer) Convection is a
method of heat transfer that involves the movement of fluids such as liquids or gases. It is the process of
transferring heat energy from a warmer region to a cooler region by fluid bulk movement. This movement
causes the redistribution of thermal energy within the fluid, resulting in temperature and density changes.
(insert reference convection) This procedure successfully removes moisture from the materials,
making them dry and suitable for further processing or packaging. Trays are often constructed of
stainless steel or aluminum to endure high temperatures and harsh conditions.
Heat transfer and mass transfer are crucial in drying processes. Heat is supplied to the
product to evaporate the liquid contained, and mass is transferred as a vapor into the surrounding
gas. The drying rate is determined by the set of factors that affect heat and mass transfer. Solids
drying is generally understood to follow two distinct drying zones, known as the constant-rate
period and the falling-rate period. The two zones are demarcated by a break point called the
critical moisture content. (insert reference a new variable diffusuion). During the constant-rate
stage, the material's surface becomes saturated with moisture, and the rate of moisture removal is
mostly determined by external factors such as heat transfer and airflow. On a graph of moisture
content with drying rate based on FIGURE ( ), this phase is represented by a relatively flat
horizontal line from point B to point C on the graph of moisture content with drying rate and
from point A to B on the graph of drying rate with drying time. This means that the moisture
content stays constant throughout time since moisture is constantly evaporating from the surface.
The constant-rate period is distinguished by a rapid drying rate, as the material can absorb
moisture fast from its surface without being constrained by internal moisture diffusion.
Temperature, humidity, and airflow all have a substantial impact on the rate of moisture removal
during this phase. (insert reference a new variable diffusuion).
As the constant-rate period proceeds and the surface moisture content falls, the drying process
enters the falling-rate phase. The rate of moisture removal slows dramatically during this phase
because the moisture within the material must diffuse from the interior to the surface before it
can evaporate. The falling-rate period is represented on the graph of FIGURE ( ) by a
downward-sloping curve from point B to C for drying rate against drying time and point D to C
for drying rate against moisture content, suggesting that moisture content gradually decreases
over time. This phase is distinguished by decreasing drying speeds as the process becomes more
reliant on internal moisture diffusion rather than external forces. Material qualities such as
porosity and moisture diffusion coefficient and drying circumstances for example temperature
and airflow, all have an impact on the length and slope of the falling rate phase. (FDE 307
REFERENCE)
Figure 1
In order to plot the graph of moisture content against drying rate, first both value need to be
calculated. The value of moisture content can easily be calculated
