S.NO Contents P.

no
1 Abstract 2
2 Introduction 3
3 Drying Mechanism 5
4 6
Drying Methods
5 Drying Equipment 8
6 Applycations of Drying 12
7 Experimental Procedure 13
8 Results&Discussions 14
9 Conclusions 15
10 References 16

ABSTRACT
In the present work, an attempt has been made to study the effect of inlet air temperature and
inlet air velocity on the drying characteristics of pieces in microwave assisted fluidized bed
drying system. The results were compared with samples of beetroot dried in a tray dryer at the
same combination of temperatures and air velocities. The inlet air temperatures selected were
60C,67.50C and 75C and inlet air velocities were 9 m/s, 10.50 m/s and 12 m/s. Moisture
content and outlet air humidity was measured at 5 minutes interval. The MAFBD method offered
two to three times reduction in drying time as compared to the tray drying method. It was also
observed that the beetroot samples obtained from the microwave system had lower final moisture
content than those obtained from the tray dryer system.

INTRODUCTION
Drying is a mass transfer process consisting of the removal of water or
another solvent by evaporation from a solid, semi-solid or liquid. This process is often used as a
final production step before selling or packaging products. To be considered "dried", the final
product must be solid, in the form of a continuous sheet (e.g., paper), long pieces (e.g., wood),
particles (e.g., cereal grains or corn flakes) or powder (e.g., sand, salt, washing powder, milk
powder). A source of heat and an agent to remove the vapor produced by the process are often
involved. In bio products like food, grains, and pharmaceuticals like vaccines, the solvent to be
removed is almost invariably water.
In the most common case, a gas stream, e.g., air, applies the heat by convection and carries away
the vapor as humidity. Other possibilities are vacuum drying, where heat is supplied
by conduction or radiation (or microwaves), while the vapor thus produced is removed by
the vacuum system. Another indirect technique is drum drying (used, for instance, for
manufacturing potato flakes), where a heated surface is used to provide the energy, and
aspirators draw the vapor outside the room. In contrast, the mechanical extraction of the solvent,
e.g., water, by centrifugation, is not considered "drying" but rather "draining".
Contents:

1. Drying mechanism

2. Methods of drying

3. Types of drying

4. Applications of drying
Drying mechanism
In some products having relatively high initial moisture content, an initial linear reduction of the
average product moisture content as a function of time may be observed for a limited time, often
known as a "constant drying rate period". Usually, in this period, it is surface moisture outside
individual particles that is being removed. The drying rate during this period is mostly dependent
on the rate of heat transfer to the material being dried. Therefore, the maximum achievable
drying rate is considered to be heat-transfer limited. If drying is continued, the slope of the curve,
the drying rate, becomes less steep (falling rate period) and eventually tends to nearly horizontal
at very long times. The product moisture content is then constant at the "equilibrium moisture
content", where it is, in practice, in equilibrium with the dehydrating medium. In the falling-rate
period, water migration from the product interior to the surface is mostly by molecular diffusion,
i,e. the water flux is proportional to the moisture content gradient. This means that water moves
from zones with higher moisture content to zones with lower values, a phenomenon explained by
the second law of thermodynamics. If water removal is considerable, the products usually
undergo shrinkage and deformation, except in a well-designed freeze-drying process. The drying
rate in the falling-rate period is controlled by the rate of removal of moisture or solvent from the
interior of the solid being dried and is referred to as being "mass-transfer limited".
Methods of drying[edit]

In a typical phase diagram, the boundary between gas and liquid runs from the triple point to
the critical point. Regular drying is the green arrow, while supercritical drying is the red arrow
and freeze drying is the blue.

The following are some general methods of drying:

Application of hot air (convective or direct drying). Air heating increases the driving force
for heat transfer and accelerates drying. It also reduces air relative humidity, further
increasing the driving force for drying. In the falling rate period, as moisture content falls,
the solids heat up and the higher temperatures speed up diffusion of water from the interior
of the solid to the surface. However, product quality considerations limit the applicable rise
to air temperature. Excessively hot air can almost completely dehydrate the solid surface, so
that its pores shrink and almost close, leading to crust formation or "case hardening", which
is usually undesirable. For instance in wood (timber) drying, air is heated (which speeds up
drying) though some steam is also added to it (which hinders drying rate to a certain extent)
in order to avoid excessive surface dehydration and product deformation owing to high
moisture gradients across timber thickness. Spray drying belongs in this category.
Indirect or contact drying (heating through a hot wall), as drum drying, vacuum drying.
Again, higher wall temperatures will speed up drying but this is limited by product
degradation or case-hardening. Drum drying belongs in this category.
Dielectric drying (radiofrequency or microwaves being absorbed inside the material) is the
focus of intense research nowadays. It may be used to assist air drying or vacuum drying.
Researchers have found that microwave finish drying speeds up the otherwise very low
drying rate at the end of the classical drying methods.
Freeze drying or lyophilization is a drying method where the solvent is frozen prior to drying
and is then sublimed, i.e., passed to the gas phase directly from the solid phase, below the
melting point of the solvent. It is increasingly applied to dry foods, beyond its already
classical pharmaceutical or medical applications. It keeps biological properties of
 proteins, and retains vitamins and bioactive compounds. Pressure can be reduced
by a high vacuum pump (though freeze drying at atmospheric pressure is possible in
dry air). If using a vacuum pump, the vapor produced by sublimation is removed
from the system by converting it into ice in a condenser, operating at very low
temperatures, outside the freeze drying chamber.
Supercritical drying (superheated steam drying) involves steam drying of products
containing water. This process is feasible because water in the product is boiled off,
and joined with the drying medium, increasing its flow. It is usually employed in
closed circuit and allows a proportion of latent heat to be recovered by
recompression, a feature which is not possible with conventional air drying, for
instance. The process has potential for use in foods if carried out at reduced
pressure, to lower the boiling point.
Natural air drying takes place when materials are dried with unheated forced air,
taking advantage of its natural drying potential. The process is slow and weather-
dependent, so a wise strategy "fan off-fan on" must be devised considering the
following conditions: Air temperature, relative humidity and moisture content and
temperature of the material being dried. Grains are increasingly dried with this
technique, and the total time (including fan off and on periods) may last from one
week to various months, if a winter rest can be tolerated in cold areas.
DRYING EQUIPMENT

Tray Dryers
Tunnel Dryers
Roller or Drum Dryers
Fluidized Bed Dryers
Spray Dryers
Pneumatic Dryers
Rotary Dryers
Trough Dryers
Bin Dryers
Belt Dryers
Vacuum Dryers
Freeze Dryers

In an industry so diversified and extensive as the food industry, it would be expected that a great
number of different types of dryer would be in use. This is the case and the total range of equipment
is much too wide to be described in any introductory book such as this. The principles of drying may
be applied to any type of dryer, but it should help the understanding of these principles if a few
common types of dryers are described.

The major problem in calculations on real dryers is that conditions change as the drying air and the
drying solids move along the dryer in a continuous dryer, or change with time in the batch dryer.
Such implications take them beyond the scope of the present book, but the principles of mass and
heat balances are the basis and the analysis is not difficult once the fundamental principles of drying
are understood. Obtaining adequate data may be the difficult part.
Tray Dryers

In tray dryers, the food is spread out, generally quite thinly, on trays in which the drying takes place.
Heating may be by an air current sweeping across the trays, by conduction from heated trays or
heated shelves on which the trays lie, or by radiation from heated surfaces. Most tray dryers are
heated by air, which also removes the moist vapours.

Tunnel Dryers

These may be regarded as developments of the tray dryer, in which the trays on trolleys move
through a tunnel where the heat is applied and the vapours removed. In most cases, air is used in
tunnel drying and the material can move through the dryer either parallel or counter current to the air
flow. Sometimes the dryers are compartmented, and cross-flow may also be used.

Roller or Drum Dryers

In these the food is spread over the surface of a heated drum. The drum rotates, with the food being
applied to the drum at one part of the cycle. The food remains on the drum surface for the greater
part of the rotation, during which time the drying takes place, and is then scraped off. Drum drying
may be regarded as conduction drying.

Fluidized Bed Dryers

In a fluidized bed dryer, the food material is maintained suspended against gravity in an upward-
flowing air stream. There may also be a horizontal air flow helping to convey the food through the
dryer. Heat is transferred from the air to the food material, mostly by convection.

Spray Dryers

In a spray dryer, liquid or fine solid material in a slurry is sprayed in the form of a fine droplet
dispersion into a current of heated air. Air and solids may move in parallel or counterflow. Drying
occurs very rapidly, so that this process is very useful for materials that are damaged by exposure to
heat for any appreciable length of time. The dryer body is large so that the particles can settle, as they
dry, without touching the walls on which they might otherwise stick. Commercial dryers can be very
large of the order of 10 m diameter and 20 m high.

Pneumatic Dryers

In a pneumatic dryer, the solid food particles are conveyed rapidly in an air stream, the velocity and
turbulence of the stream maintaining the particles in suspension. Heated air accomplishes the drying
and often some form of classifying device is included in the equipment. In the classifier, the dried
material is separated, the dry material passes out as product and the moist remainder is recirculated
for further drying.
Rotary Dryers

The foodstuff is contained in a horizontal inclined cylinder through which it travels, being heated
either by air flow through the cylinder, or by conduction of heat from the cylinder walls. In some
cases, the cylinder rotates and in others the cylinder is stationary and a paddle or screw rotates within
the cylinder conveying the material through.

Trough Dryers

The materials to be dried are contained in a trough-shaped conveyor belt, made from mesh, and air is
blown through the bed of material. The movement of the conveyor continually turns over the
material, exposing fresh surfaces to the hot air.

Bin Dryers

In bin dryers, the foodstuff is contained in a bin with a perforated bottom through which warm air is
blown vertically upwards, passing through the material and so drying it.

Belt Dryers

The food is spread as a thin layer on a horizontal mesh or solid belt and air passes through or over
the material. In most cases the belt is moving, though in some designs the belt is stationary and the
material is transported by scrapers.

Vacuum Dryers

Batch vacuum dryers are substantially the same as tray dryers, except that they operate under a
vacuum, and heat transfer is largely by conduction or by radiation. The trays are enclosed in a large
cabinet, which is evacuated. The water vapor produced is generally condensed, so that the vacuum
pumps have only to deal with non-condensable gases. Another type consists of an evacuated
chamber containing a roller dryer

Freeze Dryers

The material is held on shelves or belts in a chamber that is under high vacuum. In most cases, the
food is frozen before being loaded into the dryer. Heat is transferred to the food by conduction or
radiation and the vapour is removed by vacuum pump and then condensed. In one process, given the
name accelerated freeze drying, heat transfer is by conduction; sheets of expanded metal are inserted
between the foodstuffs and heated plates to improve heat transfer to the uneven surfaces, and
moisture removal. The pieces of food are shaped so as to present the largest possible flat surface to
the expanded metal and the plates to obtain good heat transfer. A refrigerated condenser may be used
to condense the water vapors.
Applications of drying

Foods are dried to inhibit microbial development and quality decay. However, the extent of
drying depends on product end-use. Cereals and oilseeds are dried after harvest to the moisture
content that allows microbial stability during storage. Vegetables are blanched before drying to
avoid rapid darkening, and drying is not only carried out to inhibit microbial growth, but also to
avoid browning during storage. Concerning dried fruits, the reduction of moisture acts in
combination with its acid and sugar contents to provide protection against microbial growth.
Products such as milk powder must be dried to very low moisture contents in order to ensure
flow ability and avoid caking. This moisture is lower than that required to ensure inhibition to
microbial development. Other products as crackers are dried beyond the microbial growth
threshold to confer a crispy texture, which is liked by consumers.

Among Non-food products, those that require considerable drying are wood (as part of Timber
processing), paper and washing powder. The first two, owing to their organic origins, may
develop mold if insufficiently dried. Another benefit of drying is a reduction in volume and
weight.
Experimental Procedure

A laboratory microwave assisted fluidized bed dryer and fluidized bed dryer was used for drying
of the beetroot samples. All experiments were performed at the Department of Post Harvest
Engineering and Technology (APFE), Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India.
The setup, Figure 1, was provisioned for air heating and air velocity control system. A drying
chamber of circular cross section fabricated from Perspex pipe was prepared. A perforated
Perspex plate, having an open area of about 50% of the base plate, was fitted in the bottom of
drying chamber. This was used to accommodate the food material to be dried. The air velocity
and the temperature distributions across the container were found to be uniform .Details of the
experiments are given in Table. The drying was continued until the equilibrium moisture
Content was reached.

Table . Details of experiments

Crop taken Beetroot (Sanguine variety)
Pre treatment Slicing to 7 mm x 7 mm x 1 mm size
Drying Microwave assisted fluidized bed drying
Air velocity (A.V) 9 m/s, 10.50 m/s and 12 m/s
Air temperature 60C, 67.50C, and 75 C
Control Fluidized bed drying at same combination
Total number of experiments 21
Size of sample 200 g for microwave assisted fluidized bed

The measurements were made of the following:

1. Initial moisture content of the sample.
2. Variation in moisture content of the product with drying time.
3. Total drying time for reducing moisture level up to equilibrium moisture content.
RESULTS & DISCUSSION
The initial and final moisture contents of the sample were determined according to the standard
oven drying method [25]. The initial moisture content of beetroot for all samples was found to be
483.772-654.717 (%, db). The relationship between moisture content and drying times is shown
in Figures 2 to 4 at air temperatures 60C, 67.50C & 75C. The moisture content decreased very
rapidly during the initial stage of drying, as there was fast removal of moisture from the surface
of the product in the both the cases. Decrease in drying rate with respect to time suggests a
decreased drying rate with the decrease in moisture content in both the cases. The trends of
drying rates can be explained with respect to constant rate period and falling rate
Period. Most food materials have short constant rate periods and they dry mostly in the falling
rate period.
CONCLUSION
Microwave assisted fluidized bed drying can greatly reduce the drying time of food materials
with internal resistance to mass transfer. In the present preliminary study, beetroot (Beta vulgaris
L.) has been dried by two different methods, viz., microwave assisted fluidized bed drying and
fluidized bed drying. In both methods, moisture is lost in good extent. But the microwave
assisted fluidized bed drying proved better than the FBD method in terms of reduced drying time
and lower final moisture content, as per the results obtained. The future research on food drying
will inevitably focus on lower energy costs, less reliance on fossil fuels, and reduced greenhouse
gas emissions. In the attainment of these objectives MAFBD is expected to play a meaningful
role as an attractive option for drying fruits and vegetables.
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 Acknowledgement
We would like to express our thanks to our guide Mr.D.N.V SATYANARAYANA Assistant
Professor, Department of Chemical engineering, for his valuable guidance and support for the
completion of term paper.

We would like to thank our Head of the Department Dr.M. VENKATESWARA RAO Dean
Examination, professor & Head , Department of chemical engineering for providing his
esteemed throughout the course of term paper.

We sincerely thank our principle Dr. A. SUDHAKAR for giving us the permission pursue the
term paper in college and providing all the facilities.

And also, finally we would like thank all teaching , non teaching faculty and members of
Chemical Engineering Department for their direct and indirect support to complete our term
paper.

J.Abhilash(y11ch823)

Madhuri(y11ch845)
 R.V.R. & J.C.COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING :: GUNTUR 19
(Autonomous)

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the Term Paper Report on Comparative Studies Of Microwave
Assisted Fluidized Bed & Tray drying of Beetroot by using adsorption has been submitted by
J.Abhilash (y11ch823), Madhuri (y11ch845) under the guidance of MR K.KAMALAKAR
during IV/IV B.Tech First Semester for the academic year 2014 2015 in Chemical
Engineering.

(D.Kamalakar) (Dr.M.Venkateswara Rao)

Project guide Head of the department

TERM PAPER
Comparative Studies Of Microwave Assisted Fluidized Bed
& Tray drying of Beetroot
Submitted by

J.Abhilash

Madhuri

Under the Guidance of

Dr.M.Venkateswara Rao
M.Tech., Ph.D., FIE., MIIChE, MISTE.

Professor & Head

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

R.V.R. & J.C.COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

(Autonomous)

Chowdavaram, Guntur-522019

Andhra Pradesh :: India

2014 2015