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Article
Performance Analysis and Drying Kinetics of Maize in an AflaSTOP Dryer
Open Journal of Applied Sciences
  • Ernest Owusu-Sekyere, South China Agricultural University
  • George Obeng-Akrofi, Iowa State University
  • Joseph O. Akowuah, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
  • Dirk Maier, Iowa State University
Document Type
Article
Publication Version
Published Version
Publication Date
3-30-2021
DOI
10.4236/ojapps.2021.113024
Abstract

The performance of an AflaSTOP dryer which utilises biomass energy for drying maize was investigated. The drying behaviour of maize grains in the dryer was also investigated using ten (10) thin-layer mathematical models. The models were compared based on coefficient of determination (R2) and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) values between experimental and predicted moisture ratios. At an average drying air temperature of 50˚C and drying air velocity of 2.5 m/s, maize at average moisture content (MC) of 17.5% (wb) was dried to an average MC of 11.5% (wb) in three (3) hours. The drying and thermal efficiency were calculated as 81.1% and 29.6% respectively. Overall, drying took place in the falling rate period. The Logistics model was best to describe the thin-layer drying kinetics of maize in the dryer with R2 value of 0.9902 and RMSE value of 0.04908.

Comments

This article is published as Owusu-Sekyere, Ernest, George Obeng-Akrofi, Joseph O. Akowuah, and Dirk Maier. "Performance Analysis and Drying Kinetics of Maize in an AflaSTOP Dryer." Open Journal of Applied Sciences 11, no. 3 (2021): 327. DOI: 10.4236/ojapps.2021.113024. Posted with permission.

Access
Open
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
Copyright Owner
The author(s) and Scientific Research Publishing Inc.
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Citation Information
Ernest Owusu-Sekyere, George Obeng-Akrofi, Joseph O. Akowuah and Dirk Maier. "Performance Analysis and Drying Kinetics of Maize in an AflaSTOP Dryer" Open Journal of Applied Sciences Vol. 11 Iss. 3 (2021) p. 327 - 342
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/dirk-maier/56/