Ministry of Education

University of Hail
College of Engineering
Chemical Engineering Department

Experiment 1
Convection Drying

Chemical Engineering lab I

CHE 309

Department of Chemical Engineering

College of Engineering
University of Hail
Hail, Saudi Arabia

Name ID
Mohammed Aref Mohammed 201316389
Aiman Khaled Sadaqa 201316499
Khaled Salim Al Anzy 201207818
Faisal Ali Al Harbi 201305328

Instructor: Dr. Ammar MAHJOUBI

1
Abstract:

Experimental and theoretic research was conducted and the results were
implemented in a real industrial environment on a convection dryer with
pneumatic transport of material. Accomplishment of the heat transfer in these
systems is based on the principle of direct contact of dried material and warm
air. Then, an intensive transfer of heat and mass is accomplished.[1]

Objectives:

 Influence of air temperature and humidity on drying intensity.

 Plotting of drying curves with constant external conditions.
 Determination of drying rate with different air parameters and different
solid properties.
 Evaluation of drying processes using energy and mass balances.

Introduction:

 Drying means converting the liquid adhering to a solid into a gaseous state
by vaporization or evaporation and removing the resulting vapor.
 Application of the convection pneumatic dryers is represented especially
in food industry in plants for industrial processing of grains (wet milling
processing of wheat and corn).[1]
 The CE 130 can be used to investigate and demonstrate the process of
convection drying of granular solids.
 The CE130 bowl dryer experimental stand can be used to clearly represent
and analyze the process of convection drying. The experimental stand
consists of a flow channel with transparent section where the material to
be dried can be observed during the experiment. The drying air is fed into
the flow channel by way of a fan and is passed over the material to be
dried. To improve the drying process, the air can be warmed beforehand
using a heater. The quantitative evaluation is performed using a mobile
combined temperature/moisture sensor, a digital scale and a manual
anemometer for taking air speed measurements.[2]

2
Equipment and Procedure:

 Components and Equipment:

The CE 130 used in this experiment (shown in figure 1) is consist of the

following components:

Fig.1. CE 130 convection drying

1- drying channel. 2- drying plates.

3- transparent door. 4- process schematic.
5- air velocity sensor.
6- Measuring point for humidity and temperature.
7- Digital balance. 8- Bracket for drying plates.
9- measuring point with humidity and temperature sensor.
10- Switch cabinet with digital displays. 11- Fan.

3
 Procedure:

The preparations for a drying experiment follow

this pattern:
 Remove drying plates from support frame
(shown in figure 2).
 Tare digital scale (shown in figure 3) to zero.
 Insert drying plates individually into support
frame, read off and note the weight of the
individual drying plates on the digital scale.
 Switch on fan and set speed using flow rate Fig.2. Support Frame
gauge.
 Read off volumetric air flow from display and
make a note of it.
 Switch on heater and set the temperature
controller (as shown in figure 4).
 Run air conditioning duct until it is warmed up
evenly all along its length.
 Spread material to be dried in a thin layer on the
drying plates.
 Insert drying plates in the support frame and
note the total weight. Fig.3. Digital Scale
 When using the CE 130 PC software to time the
measurement data, start the software timer (shown in figure 5).
 Record the data from the software in a table.

Fig.4. Heat Controller Fig.5. CE 130 PC software

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Results:

The measured results are recorded manually in table 1:

Table 1

dV/dt ϕ1 ϕ2
Fan speed Time T1 (⁰C) T2 (⁰C) m (g)
(m3/h) (%R.H.) (% R.H.)
341 1 00:00 59.8 9.5 59.7 9.9 12.3
411 2 01:59 58.6 9.6 59.3 9.7 11.7
459 3 03:58 59.2 9.6 59.1 9.6 11.0
354 1 06:00 57.1 9.7 58.0 9.9 10.8
415 2 08:03 57.1 9.6 57.4 9.7 9.9
460 3 10:02 56.4 9.7 56.8 9.7 9.0
355 1 12:05 57.4 9.6 57.5 9.9 9.0
412 2 14:30 56.8 9.4 57.1 9.6 8.1
463 3 16:32 57.1 9.5 57.9 9.5 7.0

Discussion of results:

The fall in total weight is plotted in a diagram, (shown in figure 6).

Time vs. Mass

14.0

12.0

10.0
Mass (g)

8.0

6.0

4.0

2.0

0.0
00:00 02:24 04:48 07:12 09:36 12:00 14:24 16:48 19:12
Time

Fig.6. Loss of material mass due to evaporation.

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The diagram shows a constant reduction in mass until a constant value is
attained. This shows that no more moisture remains in the material to be dried.

In this experiment the air conditioning duct was pre-heated until a steady state
was established.

Changing the air speed and the heater power allows different drying rate
curves for a particular material to be represented.

The curves bellow shown in figure 7 and 8 represent the temperature and the
humidity percentage in before and behind the dried solid.
Time vs. T1 and ϕ1
60 9.75
59.5 9.7
59 9.65

ϕ1 (%R.H.)
58.5 9.6
T1 (⁰C)

58 9.55
57.5 9.5
57 9.45
56.5 9.4
56 9.35
00:00 02:24 04:48 07:12 09:36 12:00 14:24 16:48 19:12
Time

Fig.7. Curves of T and ϕ before the solid

Time vs. T2 and ϕ2

60.0 9.95
9.9
59.5
9.85
59.0 9.8
ϕ2 (% R.H.)

9.75
T2 (⁰C)

58.5
9.7
58.0 9.65
57.5 9.6
9.55
57.0
9.5
56.5 9.45
00:00 02:24 04:48 07:12 09:36 12:00 14:24 16:48 19:12
Time

Fig.8. Curves of T and ϕ behind the solid

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Conclusions and Recommendations:

As we know there are three drying processes: convection drying, conduction

drying and radiation drying according to the type of heat transfer. In this
experiment, we learned how to use the CE 130 for drying solids by
convection. And we determined the reduction in weight and the drying rate
over time during the drying process.

References:

[1] S. Prvulovic, D. Tolmac, and M. Lambic. “Convection Drying in the Food

Industry”. Agricultural Engineering International: the CIGR Ejournal. Invited
Overviev No. 9. Vol. IX. July, 2007.

[2] Instruction Manual, CE 130 Convection Drying by GUNT, Germany, July,

2010.

Nomenclature:

dV/dt: the volumetric flow rate measured in (m3/h)

T: the temperature measured in (⁰C)

m: the mass measured in (gram)

ϕ: the humidity measured in (R.H.%)

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Appendices:

Drying plate L x W x H 398 × 320 ×

15 mm
Material AlMg3
Number: 4

Flow channel L x W x H 2250 × 390 ×

390 mm
Internal dimensions: 350 × 350 mm

Fan: Max. speed: 950

rpm
Max. head: 700 m³/h
Power consumption ~ 33 W
Current consumption: ~ 0.2 A

Heater Number of
lamellae: 9
Power output: 0 ... 6750 W

Digital scale Kern & Sohn GmbH - Type:

KB10000-1
Measuring range: 5 ... 8,000 g
Resolution: 0.1 g
Mains voltage:115 ... 230VAC / 48...63Hz
Interface: RS-232 C

Anemometer Schmidt - Type: SS

20.260
Measuring principle: Thermal flow sen-sor
Measuring range: 0.2-2.5 m/s
Operating temperature ofmedium:-20...+85 °C
Measuring accuracy: _(5 % of measured value
+0.4 % of measuring range

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Humidity sensor Galltec+mela - Type:
KZC2/5-L65
Humidity
Measuring range: 0...100 % R.H.
Pay attention to operating range
at 10...40°C; 5...95%R.H. _2.0 % R.H.)
Temperature influence <10°C,>40°C...<0.1%/K
Temperature
Measuring range 0...125 °C
Accuracy _0.2 K