CROP DRYING

by

Engr. Alexis T. Belonio, PAE, Fellow PSAE

Associate Professor and Chair
Department of Agricultural Engineering and
Environmental Management
College of Agriculture
Central Philippine University
Iloilo City
Email: [email protected]
 Introduction
 Drying is the process of
removing the excess
moisture from the product
that is above its equilibrium
moisture content by
applying heat from
combustible fuel to minimize
deterioration or spoilage.
 Sample Products

Coffee Maize Rapeseed

Wheat Sunflower Soyabean

 Rice Banana Chips Mushroom

Leaves Sliced Mango Chile

 Methods of Drying
 Sundrying – This is by direct exposure of
material to be dried into the heat of the sun.
The speed of drying is highly dependent on the
intensity of the sun during drying.
 Mechanical Drying – This is with the use of a
device to heat the air either with the use of the
sun, fossil fuel or biomass and force it into the
bin or cabinet to dry the product.
Sundrying of Crops
Video Presentation of Sundrying Grains
(Click picture to view)
 Flat-Bed Dryer – A batch-type dryer with
horizontal holding bin for granular
product and is used for drying at a
maximum drying layer thickness of 45
cm.
 Definition of Terms
 Dryer – A device for removing excess moisture generally
by forced ventilation with or without addition of heat, to
prevent the development of favorable environment for
the growth of molds insects that normally cause
spoilage.
 Heated-Air Mechanical Dryer – A mechanical dryer used
to remove moisture from a product by blowing artificially
heated air until the required moisture content is
attained.
 Unheated-Air Mechanical Dryer – A mechanical dryer
used to remove moisture from a product by blowing
ambient air until the required moisture content is
attained.
 Vertical-Bin Dryer –
A batch-type dryer
with vertical
holding bin and is
used for drying at
the same layer
with the flat-bed
dryer.
 Deep-Bed Dryer –
A batch-type dryer
normally used for
drying granular
products at a depth
more than 45 cm.
Drying time for this
type of dryer are
normally longer
and
 Re-circulating-Type
Dryer – A batch
dryer equipped
with conveyors to
circulate or mix
granular product
during drying
operation.
 Continuous Flow Dryer
– A type of mechanical
dryer wherein the
granular product is
passed continuously
through a drying
chamber utilizing
agitator until the
product reaches the
specified moisture
content reduction per
pass and subsequent
cooling is effected
through the tempering
bins before subjecting
to another pass.
 Advantages of Mechanical
Drying
 Drying can be done in a shorter period
compared with the natural method by
sundrying.
 Drying can be done regardless of the
weather condition.
 Programming of farm activities can be
more convenient and more profitable.
 Procurement program can be better managed
and can provide more opportunities to procure
more stocks especially during rainy season when
farmers are willing to sell their product at a
lower price.
 More product can be dried per unit space.
 Good quality product can be produced due to
controlled drying procedure
 Low labor requirement.
 Factors Affecting the Type of
Equipment for Specific Installation
 Quantity to be dried
 Drying rate required
 Weather conditions
 Economics
 Types of Crop Dryer

 Batch or Bin Dryer – In this type,

the materials to be dried is placed
in a bin or container, and air is
forced through the mass until it is
dried. This system are simple,
moderately inexpensive, and serve
as storage units after drying is
accomplished.
Video Presentation of the Drying of Boiled Corn in
Bin Dryer
(Click picture to view)
 Bin Dryer
Flatbed Grain Dryer

Warehouse Dryer
 Continuous-Gravity Flow Dryer – In this
type of dryer, the material is allowed to
flow from a vertical column where heated
air is forced across the column bed. This
type of dryer is moderately expensive due
to the need of material handling devices
to cause the movement of the product.
 Rotary Dryer – In this type of dryer, the
materials are not free flowing. The are
applicable for chopped forage, fruits and
vegetables, livestock feed, and fertilizer
components. It has high initial cost and
required more floors space per unit of
capacity the the batch of column dryer.
 Tray Dryer – In this type of dryer,
materials that cannot be dried in the
previous types are applicable for this type
of dryer. Fruits and vegetables are the
best example of product that is suitable
for this type of dryer. In this type, the
materials are placed in a shallow trays
which are stacked inside the dryer drying
chamber.
 Spray Dryers - In this type f dryer, water
is removed from solutions or suspension
and dry the resulting powder to moisture
content that approaches the equilibrium
with the exhaust drying air. This type of
dryer is usually expensive and are
commonly used for food, chemicals, and
pharmaceutical.
Spray Type Dryer
 Fluidized-Bed Dryer – This is a type
of dryer suitable for drying
powdered or granular products
where product undergoes drying
process as it moves along with the
heated air inside a duct or drying
chamber at a known terminal
velocity.
Fluidized-Bed Dryer
 Fuels for Crop Dryers
 Electricity
 LPG
 Kerosene
 Biomass (rice husks, corn cobs,
sugar baggasse, wood, etc.)
 Parts of Mechanical Dryer
 Burner – It is a device that supplies the
needed heat for drying.
– Methods:
 Direct method – the flame heats directly the
drying air and is forced through the drying
chamber by means of a fan or blower.
 Indirect method – the drying air is being
heated through a heat exchanger in order that
the product of combustion will not mix with
the drying air and the product.
Kerosene Burner
Biomass Furnace
with Heat Exchanger
 Heat Exchanger – It is
used to converts heat
from the flue gas into
clean air. It is used by
the dryer that is heated
by indirect method
especially those that
employs biomass
burner.
 Fan or Blower - It is used
to supply the required
amount of air and
pressure needed by the
system. A fan may either
be an axial, vane-axial, or
tube axial. On the other
hand a blower could be
either radial, backward,
forward-curved, or a
mixed flow type.
 Drying Chamber – It is where
the product undergoes drying
process during operation. It
may be inside a bin, a
cylinder, a tray, or a cyclone.
The product inside the
chamber are allowed to be
stationary, mixed, float, or
fluidized during the drying
process to enhance drying.
 Plenum Chamber – It is
a component of the
dryer where the velocity
pressure of the air is
converted into static
pressure to obtain a
much uniform air
distribution within the
chamber.
 Safety Control Network –
This includes accessories
such as thermometer,
thermostat, manometer,
gas valve, switches and
others to monitor and
control the conditions
during drying.
 Accessories – These
includes the conveying
equipment, receiving
bin, cleaning device,
tempering bins,
bagging or packaging,
auto weigher and
others.
 Conveyor

Drying
Chamber
Fan

Safety and Control

Network
 Drying Principle
 Drying is the process of removal of moisture from a
product at an equilibrium level to prevent spoilage or
deterioration.
 Drying will occur once the vapor pressure of the
moisture in the product is higher than the vapor
pressure of the ambient air. When the vapor pressure of
the moisture in the ambient air is higher than the
product, there will be adsorption of moisture and no
transfer when both the moisture vapor pressure is the
same with the product and the ambient air.
 Drying takes as a result of heat and mass transfer.
 Moisture
VP ambient air

VP product
Heat

 When VP product is higher than VP ambient air, there will be drying

 When VP ambient air is higher that VP product, there will adsorption
of moisture
 When the VP of the product and the VP ambient air is the same, there
will be no transfer of moisture. The condition of the product is at
equilibrium level.
 Drying Rates
 Constant Rate – Moisture removal is at a
uniform level during the drying process.
Usually moisture removal of free moisture
is taking place during the process.
 Falling Rate – Moisture removal is in
declining behavior until the equilibrium
level is reached. During the process, the
removal of bound moisture is taking place.
Moisture Content, %

Constant
Rate

First Falling
Rate
2nd Falling Rate

Equilibrium Moisture Content

Time, hours
 Drying Parameters
 Air Flow Rate – It is the volume of air in cubic
meters delivered to the product per unit time in
minutes.
 Drying Air Temperature – It is the temperature
of the air entering the product to be dried.
 Drying Rate – It is the amount of moisture
content removed from the product for a certain
period of time the product is exposed into the
drying chamber.
 Burner Efficiency – It is the ratio of the heat
supplied to the heat available expressed in
percent.
 Heat Utilization Efficiency – It is the ratio of the
total heat requirement to the heat supplied by
the burner.
Maximum Recommended Drying
Temperature
Crop Moisture Content, Temperature
%wb (C)
Seed Corn Over 25% 32-43
Under 25% 43-50
Commercial Corn For wet milling 55-57
Small grain seed 50
Commercial 82
Soybean commercial 82
Hay feeding 66
Paddy For seeds 45
Fruits Sliced 60-70
Fish Split and whole 60-70
 Moisture Removed

Wi ( 1 – MCi ) = Wf ( 1- MCf )
MR = Wi - Wf

Where: Wi - initial weight of sample, kg

Wf - final weight of sample, kg
MCi - initial moisture content, % wb
MCf - final moisture content, % wb
MR - moisture removed, kg
Determine the amount of moisture
that can be removed from 9 tons of
paddy initially from 24% and dried to
14%.
Given: Wi - 9 tons
MCi - 24%
MCf - 14%
Required: Weight final

Solution: Wi ( 1 – Mci ) = Wf (1- MCf)

Wf = Wi (1-MCi) / (1-MCf)
= 9 tons (1-0.24) / (1-0.14)
= 7.9 tons
MR = Wi – Wf
MR = 9 tons – 7.9 tons
= 1.05 tons
 A solar dryer is used to reduce the
moisture content of four tons of paddy
rice from 25% to 14% wet basis. What
is the amount of moisture that can be
removed from paddy?

Given: MC initial - 25%

MC final - 14%
Initial weight - 4 tons

Required: Weight of moisture removed

Solution: Wt. of Moisture removed = Wi - Wf
Wt. final = Wi (1 – MCi) / (1 – MCf)
= 4 tons (1- 0. 25) / (1 -0.14)
= 4(0.75) / (0.86)
= 3.53 tons
Wt. of moisture removed = 4 tons – 3.53 tons
= 0.47 ton
 Bin Capacity
Cb = ( L x W x H ) x g/1000
where:
Cb - bin capacity, ton
L - length of bin, m
W - width of bin, m
T - thickness of bin, m
g - bulk density of the grain, kg/m3
What is the required dimension of a
rectangular bin flat bed dryer whose
capacity is 1-ton of paddy if the
dryer is required to have a grain
thickness of 0.45 m. Assume a grain
density of 576 kg/m3. The width to
length ratio of the dryer bin is 2W =
L.
Given:
Bin - rectangular
Shape - 2W = L
Bin Capacity - 1 ton
Thickness of grain - 0.45
Grain density - 576 kg/m3
Required: Dimension of rectangular bin
Solution:
Vgrain = 1 ton x 1000 kg/ton x m3/576 kg
= 1.76 m3
Area of Bin = 1.76 m3 / 0.45 m
= 3.85 m2
WxL = 3.85 m2
W x 2W = 3.85 m2
W = [ 3.85 m2 / 2 ] ½
= 1.39 m
L = 2xW
= 2 x 1.39m
= 2.78 m
 Recommended Airflow for
Various Type of Grain Dryer
Type Approximate Airflow
(m3/min-ton)

Batch-In-Bin, Small 50
Batch-In-Bin, Large 23
Recirculating Bin, Small 60 – 80
Recirculating Bin, Large 70 – 100
Continuous-Flow, Small 85 – 115
Continuous-Flow, Large 60 - 80
Compute the apparent air velocity on a
1 ton capacity flat bed dryer having a
dimension of 2.4 m x 2.4 m square
bin. The specific airflow rate of the
dryer is 50 m3per minute of air per m3
of grain. Assume a density of grain of
500 kg/m3.

Given: Total airflow - 50 m3/min

Area - 2.4 m x 2.4 m
Grain drying - 500 kg/m3

Required: Apparent air velocity

Solution: Volume = 1 ton x 1000 kg/ton x m3/500kg

= 2 m3
Q = 50 m3/min-m3 x 2 m3
= 100 m3/min
Vapp = 100 m3/min / 2.4 m x 2.4 m
= 17.36 m/min
 Pyschrometric Chart
It gives the properties of the air different temperatures and Humidity. This is
important in heated air drying in determining the amount of energy needed
for drying and also to determine the time required to finish drying operation.
 Properties of Air
 Dry bulb
 Wet bulb
 Dew point
 Relative Humidity
 Specific volume
 Enthalpy
 Humidity ratio
Determine the amount of rice husk
fuel required to dry 4 tons of paddy
from 21% to 14% moisture content.
The air temperature for drying is 45
C. The ambient temperature is 30 C
while the relative humidity 85%. The
recommended airflow rate is 25 m3 of
air per min-ton of grain. Assume a
heating value for rice husk of 3,000
kcal/kg and heat utilization efficiency
for the dryer of 0.4.

Given: Capacity - 4 tons

MC initial - 21%
MC final - 14%
Drying Temperature - 45 C
Ambient temp - 30 C
Ambient RH - 85%
Airflow - 25 m3 air/min-ton of grain
Heating value of fuel - 3,000 kcal/kg
Heat utilization efficiency - 0.4
Required: Fuel consumption rate of rice husk per hour
 h2

H2
h1

V2 H1
Solution:
Using the psychrometric chart, the following are obtained:
h1 – 88 kJ/kgda; h2 – 104 kJ/kgda; and Vs - 0.93 m3/kgda

h = h2 – h1
= 104 kJ/kgda – 88 kJ/kg da
= 16 kJ/kg da
HE = C x SAF x (h2-h1) / Vs
= 4 tons x 25 m3 da/min-ton x 16 kJ/kg da / 0.93 m3/kg
= 1720.43 kJ/min x (kCal/4.167 kJ)
= 412.87 kcal/min
FCR = HE / (HVF x HUE)
= (412.87 x 60 min/hr) / (3,000 kcal/kg x 0.4)
= 20.64 kg rice husk per hour
 Drying Capacity

Cd = Wi / Td

where:
Cd - drying capacity, kg/hr
Wi - initial weight, kg
Td - drying time, hr
Moisture Reduction Per Hour

MR = (Wi - Wf ) / Td

where:
MR - moisture reduction per hour, kg/hr
Wi - initial weight of the product, kg
Wf - final weight of the product, kg
Td - drying time, hr
 Heating System Efficiency

hs = Qsd 100 / Qaf

where:
hs - heating system efficiency, %
Qsd - heat supplied to the dryer, kJ/hr
Qaf - heat available in the fuel, kJ/hr
Compute the drying efficiency of a one-
ton capacity flat bed dryer used to dry
paddy from 21% to 14% in 8 hrs. The fuel
consumption rate of the dryer is 7 lph.
Assume a heat of vaporization of 600
kCal/kg and heating value of fuel of 9,000
kCal/kg. The specific gravity of fuel is
0.76.
Given: Capacity - 1 ton
MC initial - 21%
MC final - 14%
Drying time - 8 hours
Fuel consumption rate - 7 lph
Heat of vaporization - 600 kcal/kg
Heating value of fuel - 9,000 kcal/kg
Specific gravity - 0.7
Required: Drying efficiency
Solution:
WMR = 1 ton – [(1 ton (1 – 0.21) / (1 – 0.14)]
= 0.081 ton x 1000 kg/ton
= 81.6 kg
Heat Energy In = 920 kg moisture
x 600 kcal/kg moisture
= 48,837 kcal
Heat Energy Out = 7 lph x 8 hr x 9,000 kcal/kg
x 1kg/liter x 0.7
=352,800 kcal
% drying = (48,837 kcal/352,800 kcal) x 100
= 13%
What is the rate of rice husk consumption
of a 2-ton grain dryer requires to dry paddy
from 22 to 14% in 8 hrs. The dryer overall
thermal efficiency is 45%. Assume a heat of
vaporization for paddy of 600 kCal/kg of
moisture evaporated and heating value for
rice husk of 3,000 kcal/kg.
Given:
Capacity - 2 tons
MC initial - 22%
MC final - 14%
Drying time - 8 hours
Thermal efficiency - 45%
Heat of vaporization - 600 kCal/kg
Heating value of fuel - 3,000 kcal/kg

Required: Rice husk consumption

Solution:
WMR = 2 tons – [2 tons – (1-0.22)/(1-0.14)]
= 0.186 ton x 1000 kg/ton
= 186.05 kg
Energy Used = 186.05 kg x 600 kcal/kg x 1/8 hrs
= 13,950 kcal/hr
Energy fuel = 13,950 kcal/hr / 0.45
= 31,000 kcal/hr
Wt. of fuel = 31,000 kcal/hr / 3,000 kcal/kg
= 10.33 kg/hr
If the humidity ratio of the drying air
and the ambient air are 0.002
1bmoisture/1bda and 0.001
1bmoisture/1bda, respectively, what is
the drying time of 2 tons paddy if it is
to be reduced from 24% to 14%?
Consider an airflow rate of 100 m3 of
air per min - cubic meter of grain and
density of paddy of 550 kg/m3.
Given:
Humidity ratio da - 0.002 lb moisture/lb dry air
Humidity ratio aa - 0.001 lb moisture/lb dry air
Initial MC - 24%
Final MC - 14%

Required: Drying time

Solution:
Diff HR = 0.002 lbm/lbda – 0.001 lbm/lbda
= 0.001 lbm/lbda
WMR = 2 tons – [2 tons (1-0.22)/(1-0.14)]
= 0.23286 ton x 1000 kg/ton
= 232.86 kg
Vg = 2 tons x 1000 kg/ton x m3/550kg
= 3.64 m3
AF = 3.64 m3 x 100 m3 air/min-m3 grain
= 364 m3 / min of air
DT = [232.86 kg x 2.2 lb/kg] /
[ 364 m3/min x 0.001 lbm/lbda x 1.2 kg/m3
x 2.2 lb/kg ]
= 511 min/60 min/hr
= 8.53 hrs
 References
 Djokoto, I. K. Crop Dryers. Agricultural Engineering
Training Courses. The International Rice Research
Institute. Los Banos, Laguna.
 Henderson S.M. and R. L. Perry. 1976. Agricultural
Process Engineering. Third Edition. The AVI Publishing
Company, Inc, Wesport, Connecticut. 442pp.
 Hunt, D. 1977. Farm Power and Machinery
Management. IOW State University Press. Ames, Iowa.
365pp.
Thank you very much
and God bless!!!