Rate of Drying

A
B C
D
E
X
X*
R
a
t
e

o
f

D
r
y
i
n
g
k
g
/
m



s
2
Unsaturated
surface
Constant
Rate
Internal
Movement
Actual
Ideal
Xc
This is the constant rate zone where drying takes place by evaporation of
the free moisture surrounding the solid grains. Drying rate can be
expressed by the mass transfer of moisture from the solid into the vapour
as : ( ) * Y Y k N =
A-B Initially, the solid surface is cooler than the gas so the drying rate will
increase as the solid heats up.

B-C





Solid moisture will continue to fall until dry spots appear on the solid
surface. At this point the solid will not be in equilibrium with the gas
stream - this is defined as the CRITICAL MOISTURE CONTENT

C-D Although the rate of drying per unit area of WET surface remains
constant, the overall drying rate falls as the number of dry spots
increases. This is the start of the FALLING RATE ZONE. Solid surface
can change its structural properties at this stage.

D-E Moisture film surrounding the solid has been removes and further drying
depends on the rate at which moisture will move internally in the solid
phase. At point E, the drying rate falls to 0 as the equilibrium is reached
between the drying gas and the moist solid.
.
Rate of Drying in Batch Dryers

.
Another form of this is to use the gas humidity.

The normal expression for drying time comes from looking at changes in solids moisture content:
N
L
A
dX
dt
s
s
=
where N = Drying rate, kg moisture/s-m
2
L
s
= Mass of DRY solid, kg
A
s
= Surface area for drying, m
2
t = time


The total time taken for drying from moisture content X
1
to X
2
is obtained by integrating the expression :
dt
L
A
dX
N
t
s
s
X
X
0
1
2
} }
=
t
L
A
dX
N
s
s
X
X
=
}
2
1
=>
The exact form of this integral depends on the region in which the moisture changes.
Rate of Drying in Batch Dryers

.
Constant Rate From X
1
to X
C

Here, drying rate is constant so the integral is simply :
( )
c
c
s
s
cr
N
X X
A
L
T

=
1
Linear Falling Rate Zone - X
c
to X
2

Drying rate here is a function of moisture content and will usually be linear, up to a point : N=mX+b
} }
+
= =
C
X
X
Xc
X s
s
b mX
dX
As
Ls
N
dX
A
L
t
2 2
|
|
.
|

\
|
+
+
=
b mX
b mX
In
mA
L
T
C
s
s
fr
2
=>
Then:
This is not very useful so we replace for b since : N
c
=mX
c
+b and N
2
=mX
2
+b
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
2
N
N
In
mA
L
T
c
s
s
fr
In rate experiments, one assumption to be made is that the entire falling rate zone is linear from X
c
to
X*, and the corresponding drying rate will be N
c
and 0. The gradient of the line is then :
Then:
m
N
X X
c
c
=

0
*
In other words: ( )
N m X X
c
= *
|
|
.
|

\
|

|
|
.
|

\
|
=
*
* *
2
X X
X X
In
N
X X
A
L
T
C
c
c
s
s
fr Then:
Rate of Drying in Batch Dryers

.
Non-Linear Falling Rate - Graphical

In this case, theres little alternative to a graphical/numerical integration. Plotting 1/N against
moisture content gives :
Non-Linear Falling Rate - Log Mean

For a slightly non-linear falling rate zone, a log mean approach can be adopted:
1/N
X
2
X
1
Area under the curve can be used to give the time for drying: Area
dX
N
X
X
=
}
2
1
T
L
mA
In
N
N
fr
s
s
a
b
=
|
\

|
.
|
m
N N
X X
=

1 2
1 2
T
L
A
X X
N N
In
N
N
fr
s
s
a
b
=

|
\

|
.
|
|
\

|
.
|
1 2
1 2
and replacing by a log mean gives:
( )
T
L
A
X X
N
fr
s
s
=

1 2
Log Mean
and
Then:
Continuous Dryers

There are many type of continuous dryers selected principally on the basis of suitability of the
materials being dried e.g.:

.
Will the solids agglomerate into larger particles

Is the material fragile and break into smaller particles

What is the temperature sensitivity

Etc..

Continuous dryers fall into the two categories of direct and indirect heating.
Indirect Heated Type

Drum Dryers
Tubular Dryers


Direct Heated Type

Cascade Rotary Dryers
Rotary Louvre Dryers