Ashley L.

Marbella January 7,
2011

A-2L

Exercise No. 5

Drying of Palay Grains

Introduction

Drying is a technology used in the preservation of grains. The grain is dried to

the level in which the level of moisture is safe for storage. Solar drying was being
used since ancient times. This process involves the transient transfer of heat and
mass in the product. Drying occurs by the evaporation of the liquid in the grain due
to heat (Chakraverty et al 2003).

In convective type dryers, hot air is used as a source of heat in evaporation,

and as a medium for transport of evaporated moisture. There is a direct contact
between the material and the hot air in convection drying. In this drying system,
blower, duct, perforated floor, and exhaust are required (Chakraverty et al 2003).

The moisture content of the grain tends to balance with that of the
surrounding. The dry air absorbs the moisture from the grain. The humidity and
temperature of the air dictate the amount of water that can be absorbed by the
volume of air. When water from the surface of the grain evaporates, the water
inside the grain migrates to the surface. Water moves from moist area to the area
of less moist ( Dendy et al 2001).

Methodology

The initial moisture content of the palay grains was determined using the
Dole moisture meter. Three measurements were taken, and the average value was
recorded.

Two 250 g of the grain samples were weighed and placed in two drying
containers. The samples were placed at the laboratory dryer. The fan was activated,
and the velocity of the air was measured. The relative humidity of the air was
determined using the psychrometric chart. The heater switch was turned on, and
the temperature at the chamber was observed to be at 50 degrees Celsius. The
weight of the sample was measured for every thirty minute interval. The operation
was done until four data points were obtained. The final moisture content was
determined.

Results and Discussion

The total amount of moisture in kg removed from the sample was 30.575.
The drying rate was highest at the beginning of drying. The average drying rate was
0.54 kg water per second. After 120 minutes, the drying rate calculated was 0.1 kg
water per second. The average amount of heat required to raise the air temperature
from ambient to drying temperature was 6.39 kJ/s. The drying constant is 0.0129.
The heat utilization factor is 0.230769.

Table 1. Drying characteristics of palay grain

Amount of
moisture Drying rate (kg
Period of Drying removed (kg) water/s) Q (kJ/s)
Initial (time = 0)
After 30 minutes 16.115 -0.425 6.359012
After 60 minutes 6.67 0.083333 8.395534
After 90 minutes 4.81 0 5.637179
After 120 minutes 2.98 -0.33333 5.173006
Average 6.391183
Total 30.575

Figure 1 shows the weight of the sample versus drying time in minutes. The
weight of the sample decreases over time. Based on the graph, the change in
weight over time was highest after thirty minutes. The smallest slope was at after
120 minutes.

Figure 1. Sample weight vs time

The moisture content wet basis versus time was shown in figure 2. The
moisture content of the grain is indirectly proportional to time. The final moisture
content of the sample was 12.65 %.

Figure 2. Percent Moisture Content versus time

If the grain sample was allowed to be dried for an extended period of time,
the moisture content in the dry basis would be 14 %, and the final weight would be
219 g.

Figure 1 and figure 2 were both quadratic functions. The R²-values were close
to 1. The r² value equal to 1 implies that the equation perfectly fits the data. The
behavior of the graphs if time was extended was shown in figure 3 and figure 4. The
graphs were increasing after 120 minutes, based on the quadratic equation. But in
reality, the graph should be constant after the time was extended.

Conclusion

The amount of moisture content of the grain is indirectly proportional to time

in drying. The highest rate of moisture reduction was observed at the beginning of
the drying process. This rate reaches a constant value as time increases. The
amount of heat required to raise the temperature of air from ambient to drying
temperature was 6.39 kJ/s.

References

Chakraverty, A., Mujumdar, A., Raghavan, G. S., and Ramaswamy, H. 2003.

Handbook of Postharvest Technology Cereals, Fruits, Vegetables, Tea, and
Spices. New York: Marcel Dekker Inc. 119-120 p.
Dendy, D. A. V., and Dobraszczyk, B. 2001. Cereals and cereal products: chemistry
and technology. USA: Aspen Publishers Inc. 29 p.

Appendix

Figure 3. Sample weight vs time

Figure 4. Percent Moisture Content versus time

Table 2. Raw Data for Drying of the grain

Weight of Container
Period of Drying + Sample (g) Weight of Sample (g)
Sample Sample
Sample 1 Sample 2 1 2 MCWB (%)
Initial (time = 0) 855.36 871.8 250 250 23.33
After 30 minutes 846.76 848.09 233.51 234.26 18.05
After 60 minutes 840.05 841.46 226.8 227.63 15.64
After 90 minutes 835.29 836.6 222.04 222.77 13.82
After 120 minutes 787.57 797.03 219.07 219.78 12.65
Sample Calculation:

MCWB %= 100-(Wi*(100-MCi)/Wf)= 100-(250*(100-23.33)/((233.51+234.26)/2))

Table 3. Drying characteristics of palay grain

Veloci Specifi
ty of Volumet c Mass
Period air Drying Amount of ric flow volum flow
of (ft/mi rate (kg moisture rate e rate
Drying n) water/s) removed (kg) m3/s m3/kg kg/s Q (kJ/s)
Sampl Sampl
e1 e2
Initial (time =
0)
After
30 0.63901 0.922 0.6927 6.3590
min. 1400 0.537 16.49 15.74 8 5 03 12
After
60 0.68466 0.7482 8.3955
min. 1500 0.222 6.71 6.63 3 0.915 65 34
After
90 0.73030 0.7895 5.6371
min. 1600 0.16 4.76 4.86 7 0.925 21 79
After
120 0.68466 0.7245 5.1730
min. 1500 0.099 2.97 2.99 3 0.945 11 06
Total 30.93 30.22
Avera 30.57 6.3911
ge 5 83

Sample calculation:

Drying rate= ΔW/30= (250-233.51)/30= 0.537 kg/s

Amount of moisture removed= (250-233.51)= 16.49 kg

Amount of heat req’d to raise air temp= m*Cp *ΔT= 0.692703 *1.02*(50-41)=
6.359012334 kJ/s

Drying constant=(y/x)/ (0.4343*f) = (7/19)/ (0.4343* 66) =0.0129

(M-Me)/( Mo-Me)= e^(-0.012t)

Heat Utilization factor= (38-41)/ (28-41)= 0.230769

Time Scale factor was determined from figure 7

Figure 5. Change of moisture over time versus drying time

Figure 6. Change of moisture over time versus percent moisture content