A Laboratory Report on

THE DRYING RATE OF SOLIDS IN A TRAY DRYER

By

OLUGBEMINIYI, Olumide Bernard

CHE/2017/073

GROUP 6

SUBMITTED TO

DR. SANDA O.

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING,

OBAFEMI AWOLOWO UNIVERSITY,

ILE-IFE.

IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR CHEMICAL

ENGINEERING LABORATORY I (CHE409)

FEBRUARY, 2023.
 Department of Chemical Engineering

Obafemi Awolowo University,

Ile-ife, Osun State.

January 21, 2023.

The Coordinator,

Chemical Engineering Laboratory,

Department of Chemical Engineering,

Obafemi Awolowo University,

Faculty of Technology,

Ile-ife, Osun State.

Dear Sir,

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
I hereby write to inform you that in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of

Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Chemical Engineering, I, OLUGBEMINIYI, Olumide Bernard

with matriculation number CHE/2017/073 have fully participated in the Unit Operations

Laboratory I (CHE409) mandatory for every part four chemical engineering students. This is to

submit my report for necessary assessment. Thanks

Yours faithfully,

OLUGBEMINIYI ,Olumide Bernard

CHE/2017/073
 ABSTRACT

The most popular dryer in the current market is the tray dryer. Numerous companies, including

the pharmaceutical and food sectors, use tray dryers as their drying equipment since they require

less energy and so are more cost-effective. Drying is the process of taking moisture or water out

of a material. Identifying the solid's rate of drying is the experiment's primary goal (potato). The

solid's moisture content and the impact of blanching a solid are also determined by the

experiment. Before placing the sliced plantain in the dryer, it is organized on a tray. A scale is

used to measure the plantain's mass before, during, and after the experiment. Throughout the

experiment, the potato is weighed every ten minutes, and the mass is noted. During time, the

potato’s moisture content diminishes, which also results in a slower pace of drying.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL 2

ABSTRACT 4

LIST OF TABLES 5

LIST OF FIGURES 7

CHAPTER ONE 8
1.0 INTRODUCTION 8
1.1 Scope of the Experiment 9
1.3 Literature Review 10

CHAPTER TWO 12

2.0 EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE 12

2.1 Materials and Equipment 12
2.2 Procedure 12
2.3 Precaution 14

CHAPTER THREE 15

3.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 15

3.1 Parameters 15
3.2.1 Calculations 19

APPENDIX 32
Appendix A 32
Appendix B 33
 LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Shrinked data for sample of thickness 0.003 at 70oC.

Table 2: Shrinked data for sample of thickness 0.004 at 70oC

Table 3: Shrinked data for sample of thickness 0.005 at 70oC
Table 4: Data of MR for the three thickness: 0.3cm, 0.4cm, 0.5cm with respect to time.
 LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1. A weighing balance

Figure 2. A laboratory tray dryer

Figure 3. Plot of weight of sample against elapsed time.

Figure 4. Plot of X, Moisture Content against elapsed time.

Figure 5: Plot of X, Moisture Content against elapsed time.

Figure 6: Plot of Drying Rate, R against Moisture Content, X.

Figure 7. Plot of weight of sample against elapsed time.

Figure 8: Plot of X, Moisture Content against elapsed time.

Figure 9: Plot of Drying Rate, R against Moisture Content, X.

Figure 10: Graph showing the exponential model (Newton’s Model) and the original curve for O.3cm
Thickness

Figure 11: Graph showing the exponential model (Newton’s Model) and the original curve for O.4cm
Thickness

Figure 12: Graph showing the exponential model (Newton’s Model) and the original curve for O.5cm
Thickness
 CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION
Drying can be defined as removal of relatively small amounts of water from material. When

drying, the water is normally expelled by air as a vapor. Drying methods and processes can be

categorized as batch, where the material is introduced for a specified period of time into the

drying equipment and the drying continues, or as continuous, where the material is continuously

applied to the dryer and the drying material is continuously removed. The drying process can

also be classified according to the physical conditions used for adding heat or removing water

vapor:

1. Heat is applied at atmospheric pressure by direct contact with heated air, and air is extracted

from the formed water vapor:

2. Water evaporation occurs more rapidly a low pressures during vacuum drying, and the heat is

added indirectly by interaction with a metal wall or radiation;

3. Water is sublimated from the frozen content during freeze-drying.

Tray drying

A tray dryer is conventional drying equipment with enclosed insulated trays placed on top of

each other in a trolley. Tray driers are used in processes where drying is crucial in the

manufacturing industrial process. The material, which can be a lumpy solid or a pasty solid, is

spread evenly over a metal tray to a depth of 10 to 100 mm in tray dryers, which are often called

shelf, cabinet or compartment dryers.

Batch dryers come in several varieties, such as tray dryers, fluidized-bed dryers, freeze dryers, and

vacuum dryers. In tray dryers, warm air is passed over solids to dry them through convective heat

transfer. Industries frequently use it. Starting in a standard tray drier, the procedure begins. Unblanched

(raw) and blanched (steamed with hot water) plantains are first distributed uniformly throughout the

tray (paper). The trays are then put inside the dryer (lab oven) depicted in Fig. 1.

1.1 Scope of the Experiment

To accurately determine the rate of drying curve of a certain material (example study, potato

chips) dried in a batch dryer under continuous drying conditions (constant air flow, temperature

and humidity). Heat was generated by direct contact with hot air at atmospheric pressure when

the drying oven was operating at 70°C.

The rate of drying, R, is the mass of liquid evaporated by unit time and by unit of expose surface

area for drying and is expressed by the formula:

 M s dX
R=
A dt
Where: R = Drying rate (kg H2O/s.m2)

Ms = Weight of dry solid (kg)

A = Exposed surface area for drying (m2)

X = Solid moisture content (kg H2O/kg dry solid)

t = time (s)

1.2 Objectives:

The objectives of the conducted experiment include;

1. To experimentally assess the plantain's pace of drying and the weight of moisture lost

during drying at regular intervals

2. Toascertain the equilibrium moisture, the critical moisture content, and the constant rate

of drying duration.

3. Tofigure out the drying rate that is crucial.

4. Tofigure out the experiment's drying coefficient.

5. Tocalculate the moisture ratio and compare the results with the Page, Henderson, and

Pabis models.
1.3 Literature Review

The product from a dryer is frequently ready for final packing after drying, which is typically the last step

in a series of processes in industries. When a solid is dry, it is typically ready for final packaging after

being removed from a dryer. In order to lower the amount of remaining liquid to an acceptable low value,

drying a solid generally refers to the removal of a relatively small quantity of water or other liquid from

the solid substance by thermal vaporization. In most cases, either direct heating or indirect heating is used

to dry things out. Drying is frequently accomplished through direct heating, which involves bringing

heated gases—such as heated air or steam—into direct contact with the wet particles that need to be dried.

A bone-dry solid and moisture combine to form a wet solid. A wet solid has two types of moisture

content: free moisture and equilibrium moisture. The term "free moisture content" describes the

maximum amount of moisture that can be eliminated by drying a wet solid. As a little quantity of liquid

will always coexist in equilibrium with the solid, it is impossible to entirely eliminate all of the moisture

content in a wet solid by drying. The equilibrium moisture content is the name given to this fluid. In a

drying process, the extent of liquid removal is therefore limited by this phase equilibrium.

A wet solid heated in a dryer will see a gradual decline in moisture content until equilibrium moisture

content is reached when all free moisture has been eliminated, at which point the moisture content will

remain constant. The drying rate, often known as the drying rate, is the rate at which the moisture content

decreases. Many elements, including air humidity, air velocity, and drying temperature, affect the rate of

drying. The constant rate and the falling rate are the two types of drying rates that are frequently seen in

drying. When moisture content drops linearly over time, the constant rate is seen. An identical volume of

liquid is evaporated per unit of time during this period of constant pace. The drying rate is determined by

a variety of parameters that affect heat and mass transport (Artin Afacan, 1984). The constant-rate period

and the falling-rate period are two different drying zones that are commonly accepted to be followed by

solids drying. The essential moisture content, a break threshold that separates the two zones (Parikh,

2014).
 CHAPTER TWO

2.0 EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

2.1 Materials and Equipment

1. Tuber of Potato

2. Cartons

3. Knife

4. Mass balance

5. Laboratory oven/dryer

6. Stopwatch

7. Ruler
2.2 Procedure

Three batches of samples were created by cutting the provided potato tuber transversely with a sharp

knife (10 small pieces similar thickness). Each batch was then equally distributed onto three thick boxes

acting as a tray, the masses of which had already been determined. Each batch was made with an average

thickness of 0.003 meters, 0.004 meters, and 0.005 meters (using a ruler). To record the initial Weight,

each batch was weighed using a mass balance.

A tray containing the samples was placed in the laboratory oven (dryer), which was previously switched

on and preheated to a fixed temperature of 70oC. A stopwatch was used to closely monitor the drying

process, which was started as soon as the tray was put into the dryer and continued at 10-minute intervals.

The samples were brought out for measurement after each 10 minute run. This procedure was carried out

again and again until the sample weight remained consistent. The dryer's temperature was then

dramatically raised to 105°C and allowed to run for a further 30 minutes to produce dry samples whose

weights could be measured and noted.

Same procedure was followed for the other two batches of samples.

All measurements in form of mass and time were recorded and given in the result section of this report.
Figure 1. A weighing balance
 Fig

ures 2. A laboratory tray dryer

2.3 Precaution

● To avoid a decline in temperature, the dryer was promptly shut off.

● To ensure reliable findings, the samples were measured as soon as they were removed

from the dryer.

 ● In order to prevent time loss, the stopwatch was immediately set in motion when the

samples were first placed in the dryer.

● Readings with the ruler were taken in order to prevent the Parallax Error.

● To obtain reliable findings, the mass balance was always reset to zero.

CHAPTER THREE

3.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

3.1 Parameters

Readings and Calculations for Chips of Thickness (∆ X ¿=0.003 m

Dry Weight of Sample …………………………… 0.019kg (Obtained at 105oC)

Initial Moisture Content………………………….. 171%

Air Temperature…………………………………... 25oC

Air Velocity……………………………………….. 1m/s

Average Sample Thickness………………………… 0.003m

Average Sample Diameter…………………………. 0.03m

No of Samples on Tray…………………………….. 17

Total Surface Area………………………………… 0.012m2

Table 1: Shrinked data for sample of thickness 0.003 at 70oC.

X R
Weight of dX
Time (s) (kg H2O/kg dt
Solid (kg) (kg H2O/s.m2)
dry solid)

0 0.0515 1.711 0.00000 0.00000

1200 0.039 1.053 -0.00050 0.00079

2400 0.0315 0.658 -0.00028 0.00044

3600 0.0243 0.279 -0.00017 0.00026

4800 0.0223 0.174 -0.00004 0.00007

6000 0.0215 0.132 -0.00004 0.00006

7200 0.0208 0.095 -0.00003 0.00004

 Weight of Solid against Elapsed Time
0.06

0.05
Weight of Solid (kg)

0.04

0.03

0.02

0.01

0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000

Elapsed Time (s)

Figure 3: Plot of weight of sample against elapsed time.

Dry basis moisture content (X) for different elapsed time calculated using;

Mass of water (kg)

X=
Mass of dry solid (kg)

Mass of water (kg)

% X= X 100 %
Mass of dry solid (kg)

Initial Moisture Content (%),

0.0515−0.019
% X= X 100 %
0.019
¿ 171 %
 X against T
1.8
1.6
1.4
X (kg H2O/kg dry solid)

1.2
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000

Elapsed Time (s)

Figure 3: Plot of X, Moisture Content against elapsed time.

From the graph in Fig. 2, the following is identified.

I. Constant rate of drying period = 1800 s

II. Critical moisture content, Xc = 0.826

III. Equilibrium moisture, X* = 0.095

dX
Using the graph in Fig 2, the values of were determined as seen in table 1.
dt

The drying rate (R) was calculated from the following formula, using the values obtained in the table.

−M o dX
R=
S dt
 R against X
0.00008

0.00007

0.00006
R (kg H2O/s.m2)

0.00005

0.00004

0.00003

0.00002

0.00001

0
0.09 0.1 0.11 0.12 0.13 0.14 0.15 0.16 0.17 0.18

X (kg H2O/kg dry solid)

Figure 3: Plot of Drying Rate, R against Moisture Content, X.

3.2.1 Calculations
From the graph above, it could be observed that:

Critical Drying Rate, Rc = 0.00006

To determine the Moisture Ration (MR), using the formula:

Xt
MR=
Xo
Where Xo is the initial moisture content and Xt is the moisture content at any time t.

Therefore, at t = 4800s,
0.174
MR=
1.711

MR=0.101
Readings and Calculations for Chips of Thickness (∆ X ¿=0.004 m

Parameters:

Dry Weight of Sample…………………………… 0.0203kg (obtained at 105oC)

Initial Moisture Content………………………….. 144%

Air Temperature…………………………………... 25oC

Air Velocity……………………………………….. 1m/s

Average Sample Thickness………………………… 0.004m

Average Sample Diameter…………………………. 0.03m

No of Samples on Tray…………………………….. 10

Total Surface Area…………………………………. 0.0071m2

Table 2: Shrinked data for sample of thickness 0.004 at 70oC

X R
Weight of Solid
dX
Time (s) (kg H2O/kg dry dt
(kg) (kg H2O/s.m2)
solid)

0 0.0496 1.443 0.00000 0.00000

1200 0.0403 0.985 -0.00037 0.00106

2400 0.0334 0.645 -0.00025 0.00073

3600 0.0270 0.330 -0.00016 0.00045

4800 0.0248 0.222 -0.00009 0.00026

 6000 0.023 0.133 -0.00006 0.00016

7200 0.022 0.084 -0.00004 0.00012

Weight of Solid against Elapsed Time

0.06

0.05
Weight of Solid (kg)

0.04

0.03

0.02

0.01

0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000

Time (s)

Figure 4: Plot of weight of sample against elapsed time.

Initial Moisture Content (%),

0.0496−0.0203
% X= X 100 %
0.0203
¿ 144 %
 X against T
1.6
Moisture Contet, X (kg H2O/kg dry solid)

1.4

1.2

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000

Elapsed Time (s)

Figure 5: Plot of X, Moisture Content against elapsed time.

From the graph in Fig. 5, the following is identified.

I. Constant rate of drying period = 1800 s

II. Critical moisture content, Xc = 0.798

III. Equilibrium moisture, X* = 0.064

 R against X
0.0005

0.00045

0.0004
Drying Rate, R (kg H2O/s.m2)

0.00035

0.0003

0.00025

0.0002

0.00015

0.0001

0.00005

0
0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35

Moisture Content, X (kg H2O/kg dry solid)

Figure 6: Plot of Drying Rate, R against Moisture Content, X.

From the graph above, it could be observed that:

Critical Drying Rate, Rc = 0.00026

Xt
Moisture Ration, MR=
Xo

Therefore, at t = 4800s,
0.222
MR=
1.443

MR=0.154
Readings and Calculations for Chips of Thickness (∆ X ¿=0.005 m

Parameters:

Dry Weight of Sample…………………………… 0.0224kg

Initial Moisture Content………………………….. 125%

Air Temperature…………………………………... 25oC

Air Velocity……………………………………….. 1m/s

Average Sample Thickness………………………… 0.005m

Average Sample Diameter…………………………. 0.03m

No of Samples on Tray…………………………….. 7

Total Surface Area………………………………… 0.0049m2

Table 3: Shrinked data for sample of thickness 0.005 at 70oC

X R
Weight of dX
Time (s) (kg H2O/kg
Solid (kg) dt (kg H2O/s.m2)
dry solid)
0 0.0505 1.254 0.00000 0.00000

1200 0.0418 0.866 -0.00029 0.00133

2400 0.0357 0.594 -0.00020 0.00092

3600 0.0296 0.321 -0.00014 0.00065

4800 0.0270 0.205 -0.00010 0.00044

6000 0.0251 0.121 -0.00004 0.00020

7200 0.0246 0.098 -0.00001 0.00007

 Weight of Solid against Elapsed Time
0.06

0.05
Weight of Solid (kg)

0.04

0.03

0.02

0.01

0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000

Time (s)

Figure 7. Plot of weight of sample against elapsed time.

Initial Moisture Content (%),

0.0505−0.0224
% X= X 100 %
0.0224
¿ 125 %
 X against T
1.4

1.2
Moisture Content, X (kg H2O/kg dry solid)

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000

Elapsed Time (s)

Figure 8: Plot of X, Moisture Content against elapsed time.

From the graph in Fig. 8, the following is identified.

I. Constant rate of drying period = 1800 s

II. Critical moisture content, Xc = 0.798

III. Equilibrium moisture, X* = 0.064

 R against T
0.0007

0.0006
Drying Rate, R (kg H2O/s.m2)

0.0005

0.0004

0.0003

0.0002

0.0001

0
0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35

Moisture Content, X (kg H2O/kg dry solid)

Figure 9: Plot of Drying Rate, R against Moisture Content, X.

From the graph above, it could be observed that:

Critical Drying Rate, Rc = 0.00044

Xt
Moisture Ration, MR=
Xo

Therefore, at t = 4800s,
0.205
MR=
1.254

MR=0.163 1

1
Table 4: Data of MR for the three thickness: 0.3cm, 0.4cm, 0.5cm with respect to time.

MR for 0.3cm MR for 0.4cm MR for 0.5cm

Time (s)
Thickness Thickness Thickness
0 1.000 1.000 1.000
600 0.791 0.836 0.829
1200 0.615 0.683 0.690
1800 0.483 0.553 0.569
2400 0.385 0.447 0.473
3000 0.222 0.294 0.324
3600 0.163 0.229 0.256
4200 0.117 0.191 0.210
4800 0.102 0.154 0.164
5400 0.089 0.116 0.117
6000 0.077 0.092 0.096
6600 0.065 0.075 0.085
7200 0.055 0.058 0.078
7800 0.055 0.044 0.075

MR for 0.3cm Thickness against Time

1.200

1.000

f(x) = 0.887658563051333 exp( − 0.000402874202565795 x )

MR for 0.3cm

0.800 R² = 0.963607288352206

0.600
MR for 0.3cm
Thickness
0.400 Exponential
(MR for 0.3cm
Thickness)

0.200

0.000
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000

Time (s)
Figure 10: Graph showing the exponential model (Newton’s Model) and the original curve for O.3cm Thickness
 MR for 0.4cm Thickness against Time
1.200

f(x) = 1.06996285716173 exp( − 0.000407035771596812 x )

1.000 R² = 0.99737745092014
MR for 0.4cm

0.800

0.600

0.400 MR for 0.4cm

Thickness

0.200

0.000
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000

Time (s)
Figure 11: Graph showing the exponential model (Newton’s Model) and the original curve for O.4cm Thickness
 MR for 0.5cm Thickness against Time
1.200

1.000
f(x) = 1.01563156887457 exp( − 0.000366880452216961 x )
R² = 0.985460945434396
MR for 0.5cm

0.800

0.600

0.400 MR for 0.5cm

Thickness
Exponential (MR
for 0.5cm
0.200 Thickness)

0.000
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000

Time (s)

Figure 12: Graph showing the exponential model (Newton’s Model) and the original curve for O.5cm Thickness

Having fitted my data into Newton’s model, Henderson & Pabis model and Page model respectively, it

was observed that Newton’s model best describes my samples’ drying

 CHAPTER FOUR

4.0 CONCLUSION

The conclusion that the experiment's goal was accomplished can be drawn from the data and the
outcome. a consistent outcome of the plantain sample's drying method

The blanched sample dried out significantly faster than the unblanched sample.

It is evident that as the amount of time grows, both the moisture content and the rate of drying
decrease.
 REFERENCES

Binay K. Dutta (2009): ‘Drying of Wet Solids’, Principles of Mass Transfer and Separation Processes,
PHI Learning Private Ltd, New Delhi.
Choudhary, A. (. (2014). Principle and Working of Fluidized Bed Dryer (FBD).
Parikh. (2014). Solids Drying: Basic and Applications.
Parikh, D. (2015). Vacuum Drying: Basic and Application.
S. M. Zakir Hossain, N. M. (2017). Design of a laboratory experiment for the performance analysis of a
retrofitted tray dryer unit. Education for Chemical Engineers Volume 18, 35-44.
 APPENDIX
Appendix A

Table 5. Data for bleach sample

X R
Weight of dX
Time (s) (kg H2O/kg dt
Solid (kg) (kg H2O/s.m2)
dry solid)

0 0.0515 1.711 0.00000 0.00000

1200 0.039 1.053 -0.00050 0.00079

2400 0.0315 0.658 -0.00028 0.00044

3600 0.0243 0.279 -0.00017 0.00026

4800 0.0223 0.174 -0.00004 0.00007

6000 0.0215 0.132 -0.00004 0.00006

7200 0.0208 0.095 -0.00003 0.00004

Appendix B

List of group 6 members

CHE/2017/009 ADEKOLEOYE OYINDAMOLA ANTHONY
CHE/2017/018 AFOLABI ELIZABETH AJOKE
CHE/2017/027 AKOFIRANMI BABALOLA EMMANUEL
CHE/2017/037 EKUOBASE ESOSA JOSEPH
CHE/2017/048 MARTINS OLAMIDE OLUWASEUN
CHE/2017/057 ODUNLAMI EMMANUEL AYODEJI
CHE/2017/065 OLADIPO IFEOLUWA ANNE
CHE/2017/082 OYEMADE EMMANUEL AFOLABI
CHE/2017/099 OLAPADE OPEYEMI RUKAYAT