HORNO Armfield Manual UOP8 MKIlI Issue 1

Instruction Manual
Tray Dryer
UOP8-MKIII
ISSUE 1
November 2020 : PC-0065641

Armfield Ltd Instruction Manual UOP8-MKIII
1 Introduction
This manual contains instructions for the correct use and maintenance of the UOP8-MKIIl
manufactured by Armfield Limited.
The information contained in this manual is intended for the user who is required to read it
carefully and to ensure that he has fully understood it before operating the machine.
The user manual must be available for ready consultation at all times.
If the manual is lost or damaged contact the manufacturer for a replacement copy.
WARNING - The manufacturer is not liable for consequences resulting from an improper
use of the machine due to the user’s failure to read this manual or incomplete reading of it.
The manual is an integral part of each piece of equipment and consequently must be kept
throughout the entire service life of the machine and accompany it at all times, even if
transferred to another user.
This manual contains instructions required for the safety, receiving, installation, storage,
correct operation and maintenance of the UOP8-MKIlI.
WARNING - Armfield Limited reserves the right to modify the specifications referred to
in this manual or the characteristics of each machine. Some of the illustrations in this manual
may include parts that are slightly different to those mounted on your machine.
WARNING - All practical work areas and laboratories should be covered by local
regulations which must be followed at all times.
2 EC Conformity
Each machine is accompanied by an EC Declaration of Conformity signed by the

representative of Armfield Limited.
The declaration of conformity states the model and serial number.
The equipment has been constructed in compliance with the essential health and safety
requirements laid down in the following applicable directives:
2006/95/EC The Low Voltage Directive
2004/108/EC The Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive
2006/42/EC The Machinery Directive
PC-0065641 2 Issue 1 November 2020

The following harmonised standards were also consulted for the design and construction of
the equipment:
BS EN 61010-1:2010 Safety requirements for electrical equipment for measurement,

control, and laboratory use
BS EN 61000-6-1:2007 Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). Generic standards.

Immunity for residential, commercial and light-industrial
environments
BS EN 61000-6-3:2001 Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). Generic standards.

Emission standard for residential, commercial and light-
industrial environments
WARNING - This declaration is only valid if the Equipment is installed, used and
maintained in compliance with the above directives and instructions and with the instructions
and equipment described in this manual.

Table of Contents
1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 2
2 EC Conformity ............................................................................................................... 2
3 Disclaimer ...................................................................................................................... 6
4 Copyright and trademarks .............................................................................................. 6
5 Symbols ......................................................................................................................... 7
6 Safety ............................................................................................................................ 8
6.1 Failure to comply with safety standards .................................................................. 8
6.2 Start up, operation and maintenance ...................................................................... 8
6.3 Intended conditions of use ...................................................................................... 9
6.4 Safety guidelines relating to maintenance, inspection and assembly work .............. 9
6.5 Arbitrary production and transformation of spare parts ............................................ 9
6.6 Noise .................................................................................................................... 10
6.7 Chemical Safety .................................................................................................... 10
6.8 Control of Hazardous Substances......................................................................... 10
6.9 Water Borne Hazards ........................................................................................... 12
6.10 Hot/Cold Surfaces ................................................................................................. 13
6.11 Hot Air................................................................................................................... 13
6.12 Protective clothing................................................................................................. 13
6.13 Machine maintenance ........................................................................................... 14
7 General Overview ........................................................................................................ 15
8 Equipment Diagrams ................................................................................................... 16
9 Description ................................................................................................................... 17
9.1 Overview............................................................................................................... 17
9.2 Drying Duct ........................................................................................................... 18
9.3 Electrical Console ................................................................................................. 18
9.4 Air Flow Fan.......................................................................................................... 18
9.5 Heater ................................................................................................................... 18
9.6 Air Velocity ............................................................................................................ 19
9.7 Load Cell .............................................................................................................. 19
9.8 Temperature / Relative Humidity Sensor............................................................... 20
9.9 Data Logger/Equipment Controller and Software .................................................. 20
10 Installation.................................................................................................................... 21
10.1 Advisory ................................................................................................................ 21
10.2 Electrical Supply ................................................................................................... 21
10.3 Installing the Software........................................................................................... 21
10.4 Installing the Equipment ........................................................................................ 22
10.5 Commissioning ..................................................................................................... 24
11 Operation ..................................................................................................................... 25
11.1 Operating the Software ......................................................................................... 25
11.2 Operating the Equipment ...................................................................................... 31
12 Equipment Specifications ............................................................................................. 32
12.1 Overall Dimensions ............................................................................................... 32
12.2 Equipment Location .............................................................................................. 32
12.3 Electromagnetic Compatibility ............................................................................... 32
12.4 Environmental Conditions ..................................................................................... 32
13 Routine Maintenance ................................................................................................... 34
13.1 Responsibility........................................................................................................ 34

13.2 General ................................................................................................................. 34

13.3 Calibration of Relative Humidity Sensors .............................................................. 34
13.4 Calibration of Temperature Sensors ..................................................................... 34
13.5 Calibration of the Load Cell ................................................................................... 34
13.6 Cleaning Procedure .............................................................................................. 34
14 Index to Exercises........................................................................................................ 36
14.1 Air velocity and air temperature curve ................................................................... 37
14.2 Psychrometric Chart ............................................................................................. 38
14.3 Exercise A ............................................................................................................ 39
14.4 Exercise B ............................................................................................................ 44
14.5 Exercise C ............................................................................................................ 49
14.6 Exercise D ............................................................................................................ 55
15 Appendix 1 ................................................................................................................... 61
Psychrometric Chart ........................................................................................................ 61
16 Contact Details for Further Information ........................................................................ 65

3 Disclaimer
This document and all the information contained within it are proprietary to Armfield Limited.
This document must not be used for any purpose other than that for which it is supplied, and
its contents must not be reproduced, modified, adapted, published, translated or disclosed to
any third party, in whole or in part, without the prior written permission of Armfield Limited.
Should you have any queries or comments, please contact the Armfield Customer Support
helpdesk (Monday to Thursday: 0830 - 1730 and Friday: 0830 - 1300 UK time). Contact details
are as follows:
United Kingdom International
(0) 1425 478781 +44 (0) 1425 478781

(calls charged at local rate) (international rates apply)
Email: support@armfield.co.uk
Fax: +44 (0) 1425 470916
4 Copyright and trademarks
Copyright © 2016 Armfield Limited. All rights reserved.
Any technical documentation made available by Armfield Limited is the copyright work of
Armfield Limited and wholly owned by Armfield Limited.
Brands and product names mentioned in this manual may be trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective companies and are hereby acknowledged.

5 Symbols
General warning indicating the potential risk of personal injury
Danger warning Caution: Explosion Risk
Electrical hazard Cold Burn hazard
High Voltage hazard Caution: Flammable
Rotating parts hazard Caution: Biohazard
Caution: corrosive material
Do not remove safety guards from Do not repair or oil machine whilst in
rotating parts motion
This symbol draws your attention to Wear protective gloves

the information
Wear eye protection Wear ear protection
Wear safety shoes Wear breathing protection

6 Safety
6.1 Failure to comply with safety standards
Failure to comply with the safety standards described in this manual and those relating
to common sense can cause danger to people and the environment and damage the
Equipment.
Specifically, such non-observance can cause:
• inability of machine and/or plant to perform key functions.
• damage to the machine and /or plant.
• electrical, mechanical and/or chemical danger to persons.
• environmental danger due to leakage of hazardous substances.
Failure to observe and comply with these safety standards will invalidate the warranty.
Keep these instructions and all related documents together, ensure that they are legible and
easily accessible to all employees.
Do not remove any safety equipment before operating the Equipment or during its
operation. Make sure that there is no evident danger before powering up the Equipment. The
system must be inspected regularly to check for damage and to ensure that all safety devices
are in good working order.
The Equipment contains moving parts. Do not insert limbs or materials other than the
processing material while the Equipment is functioning. In the event of malfunction, danger or
lack of appropriate safety systems, shut down the Equipment immediately and inform the
qualified personnel.
6.2 Start up, operation and maintenance
The customer is required to verify the suitability of the Equipment for his specific needs, to
provide the necessary processing data for a correct selection of the Equipment type and the
accessories needed to guarantee the safety of the Equipment. If the user notices that any
accessories he considers useful or essential are missing in the order confirmation, it is the
customer’s responsibility to contact the manufacturer and request that the accessory or
accessories be applied to the Equipment.

While the Equipment is being used the safety, devices provided must be
present and correctly installed. Do not carry out any operation on the safety devices while the
Equipment is operating.
6.3 Intended conditions of use
The UOP8-MKIII is designed to give students an appreciation design and operational

characteristics of a tray drier whereby air flowing over trays containing granular solids
evaporates any moisture in the solids. The temperature and velocity of the air can be varied
independently by the user via a PC connected to the equipment. The total weight of the
granular solid is continuously monitored during the drying process together with the
temperature and humidity of the air before and after the drying compartment.
The Equipment must always observe the operating limitations for which it was
constructed and those stated in the order confirmation: observe the temperature, pressure,
capacity, viscosity and speed limits. The Equipment must not be used in environments subject
to the formation of potentially explosive atmospheres.
Samples of solids used inside the Tray Drier must not be flammable, toxic or corrosive
or produce flammable, toxic or corrosive vapours when being dried.
To prevent a hazardous or explosive environment forming at the exit from the Tray Drier,
care must be taken when selecting samples suitable for drying to ensure that fine granules or
powders cannot become air-born at the velocities experienced inside the equipment.
6.4 Safety guidelines relating to maintenance, inspection and assembly

work
The user must ensure that all maintenance, inspection and assembly operations related
to the Equipment are carried out by qualified technicians.
Technicians must carefully read this instruction manual before acting on the Equipment. Only
authorised and trained personnel are permitted to work on the Equipment.
6.5 Arbitrary production and transformation of spare parts

Changes or modifications to the machine, within the limits that do not go beyond
extraordinary maintenance, are only permitted if agreed on beforehand with the manufacturer.
Only original spare parts or parts specifically declared as compatible by Armfield Limited must
be used for regular maintenance operations.
These parts have been designed specifically for the system. There is no guarantee that non-
original parts can withstand the loads, and function correctly and safely.
The use of non-original parts voids the warranty.
6.6 Noise
The A-weighted sound power level emitted by the machine does not exceed 85dB(A).
This value is guaranteed if the Equipment is installed correctly, that is, in stable conditions with
appropriate fastenings and measured at a distance of 1 metre from the Equipment.
6.7 Chemical Safety
The unit is designed to use granular samples of material that are initially damp or wet
during normal operation. Cleaning should be carried out regularly to remove any residue after
use, as described in the maintenance section of this manual which may involve the use of
detergents/chemicals. Under certain conditions causing algal growth, it may be necessary to
use disinfectants or biocides to avoid the possibility of water-borne infections as described
below.
6.8 Control of Hazardous Substances
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations
The COSHH regulations impose a duty on employers to protect employees and others from
substances used at work which may be hazardous to health.
COSHH covers substances that are hazardous to health. Substances can take many forms
and include:
• chemicals
• products containing chemicals
• fumes
• dusts

• vapours
• mists
• nanotechnology
• gases and asphyxiating gases and
• biological agents (germs). If the packaging has any of the hazard symbols, then it is
classed as a hazardous substance.
• germs that cause diseases such as leptospirosis or legionnaires disease and germs
used in laboratories.
The regulations require you to make a risk assessment of all operations which are liable to
expose any person to these hazards. You are also required to introduce suitable procedures
for handling these substances and keep appropriate records.
Since the equipment supplied by Armfield Limited may involve the use of substances which
can be hazardous (for example, cleaning fluids used for maintenance or chemicals used for
particular demonstrations) it is essential that the responsible person in authority implements
the COSHH regulations or local equivalent.
Safety data sheets
The regulations also ensure that the relevant Health and Safety Data Sheets must be available
for all hazardous substances used in the laboratory.
Products you use may be ‘dangerous for supply’. If so, they will have a label that has one or
more hazard symbols. These products include common substances in everyday use such as
paint, bleach, solvent or fillers. When a product is ‘dangerous for supply’, by law, the supplier
must provide you with a safety data sheet.
Note: medicines, pesticides and cosmetic products have different legislation and don’t have
a safety data sheet. Ask the supplier how the product can be used safely.
Any person using a hazardous substance must be informed of the following:
• Physical data about the substance.
• Any hazard from fire or explosion.
• Any hazard to health.
• Appropriate First Aid treatment.
• Any hazard from reaction with other substances.
• How to clean/dispose of spillage.
• Appropriate protective measures.
• Appropriate storage and handling.
Although these regulations may not be applicable in your country, it is strongly recommended
that a similar approach is adopted for the protection of the users operating the equipment.
Local regulations must also be considered.

More information can be found on http://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/index.htm
Any such chemicals used must be stored, handled, prepared and used in accordance
with the manufacturer’s instructions and with all applicable local regulations. Protective
clothing (e.g., gloves, eye protection) should be worn when appropriate, and users should be
supplied with any relevant safety information (e.g., the correct procedure in the event of
contact with skin or eyes, the correct procedure in the event of a spill, etc.).
6.9 Water Borne Hazards
The equipment described in this instruction manual involves the use of water/fluid, which
under certain conditions can create a health hazard due to infection by harmful micro-
organisms. In the case of UOP8-MKIII water in the sample is evaporated into the air stream
leaving the drier that could contain fine droplets of infected water.
For example, the microscopic bacterium called Legionella pneumophila will feed on any scale,
rust, algae or sludge in water and will breed rapidly if the temperature of water is between 20
and 45°C. Any water containing this bacterium which is sprayed or splashed creating air-borne
droplets can produce a form of pneumonia called Legionnaires Disease which is potentially
fatal.
Legionella is not the only harmful micro-organism which can infect water, but it serves as a
useful example of the need for cleanliness.
Under the COSHH regulations, the following precautions must be observed:
• Any water/fluid contained within the product must not be allowed to stagnate, i.e., the
water must be changed regularly.
• Any rust, sludge, scale or algae on which micro-organisms can feed must be removed
regularly, i.e., the equipment must be cleaned regularly.
• After use the unit should be run to dry thoroughly the absorbent media then the media
transferred to airtight packaging.
• A scheme should be prepared for preventing or controlling the risk incorporating all
actions listed above.
Further details on preventing infection are contained in the publication “The Control of
Legionellosis including Legionnaires Disease” - Health and Safety Series booklet HS (G) 70.

6.10 Hot/Cold Surfaces
This unit contains components that that operate with a maximum temperature of
100°C and minimum temperature of the ambient.
Do not touch any surfaces close to ‘Hot Surfaces’ warning labels, any of the interconnecting
tubing or components whilst the equipment is in use or returning to a safe temperature.
6.11 Hot Air
This unit is designed to operate with a maximum air temperature of 90°C and
minimum air temperature of 5°C.
After operation at the higher temperatures, care should be taken with handling the trays and
rack. Preferably the unit should be run for a few minutes with the heater switched off prior to
opening the duct. Alternatively heat resistant gloves should be worn.
Do not touch any surfaces close to ‘Hot Surfaces’ warning labels, any of the interconnecting
tubing or components whilst the equipment is in use or returning to a safe temperature.
6.12 Protective clothing
Wear appropriate protective clothing to protect body parts.
Safety gloves
Wear suitable gloves to protect your hands from various types of possible hazards:
mechanical, electrical, chemical and high/low temperatures.
Clothing
Wear appropriate clothing to protect your body from chemical hazards.
Footwear
Wear safety footwear to protect your feet from falling objects.
Eye Protection
Wear suitable eye protection to protect your eyes from various types of possible hazards:
mechanical debris, chemicals and hot water/steam.
Ear Protection
Wear suitable ear protection to protect your ears from excessive noise.

Breathing Protection
Wear suitable breathing protection to protect your respiratory system from fumes.
6.13 Machine maintenance
Do not disassemble the Equipment before emptying the contents/fluids (if

applicable). Even if the tubes are all empty, some liquid could remain in the unit. The fluid(s)
can be hazardous to human health and the environment and can be very hot/cold.
All maintenance work must be carried out with the machine isolated from the power
supply.
Before beginning maintenance on the Equipment remember to isolate the power

supply. All the devices must be secured against automatic or accidental restart. In particular
situations where you need to run the Equipment while servicing at least 2 persons must be
present so that in the event of danger one person will be able to disconnect the power supply
or raise the alarm. Once maintenance has been completed remember to restore the safety
devices and check that they are in good working order.
To give increased operator protection, the unit incorporates a Residual Current Device
(RCD), alternatively called an Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker, as an integral part of this
equipment. If through misuse or accident the equipment becomes electrically compromised,
the RCD will switch off the electrical supply and reduce the severity of any electric shock
received by an operator to a level which, under normal circumstances, will not cause injury to
that person.
At least once each month, check that the RCD is operating correctly by pressing
the TEST button. The circuit breaker MUST trip when the button is pressed. Failure to trip
means that the operator is not protected, and the equipment must be checked and repaired
by a competent electrician before it is used.

7 General Overview
Many manufacturing processes require the drying of a product or material. The type of
equipment used in these industrial operations depends on the particular process and
characteristics of the material being dried. The value of many food products is high and so is
the requirements for its processing are more stringent than for agricultural fertiliser materials.
The design of driers for these purposes will be dictated by the relative importance of such
factors as heat sensitivity, porosity, bulk density and particle size of the dried material. In fact,
since the dried solid is generally a valuable product, its shape, colour, stability, stickiness and
hence its overall saleability, all depend upon the drying processes to which it has been
subjected.
Although there are many different types and operating characteristics of industrial driers, the
Armfield Tray Drier MKIlI has been designed to provide an experimental facility based on one
of the most fundamental designs. Tray drying is essentially a batch operation with stationary
product and a continuous airflow. Batch operations are expensive as they are labour-intensive,
and the operation scale is typically small to medium.
Drying involves the transfer of liquid from a wet solid to an unsaturated gas phase such as air,
and the solid itself can exert a considerable influence on the drying process. The Armfield Tray
Drier UOP8 MKIlI enables the basic principles of drying to be investigated and students may
examine the problems of fluid mechanics, surface chemistry and solid structure. Particular
attention has been paid to accurate metrication processes to effectively demonstrate the heat
and mass transfer associated with general drying behaviour.

8 Equipment Diagrams
Figure 1: UOP8 MKIlI Tray Drier
Figure 2: Cross-section of UOP8 MKIlI

9 Description
Where necessary, refer to the drawings in Equipment Diagrams section 8.
9.1 Overview
The UOP8 MK-IIl comprises a square section air duct fabricated from steel-clad polymer foam
with variable speed fan, and removable trays for solids drying. The foam acts to minimise
both the heat losses and the thermal inertia of the interior. The duct follows an inverted U-
shaped path. Air is drawn through the duct (6), by an axial fan impeller at the outlet with a
speed modulated motor (14). An auxiliary duct (13) provides cooling air for the motor. An
important feature of the UOP8 MKlll is the vertical flow paths, upward at the inlet and
downward at the outlet. Achieving accurate mass and energy balance results requires full
mixing of the flow to homogeneity after heating by the heater and cooling / humidifying by the
damp media in order that the single-point measurement can be considered as representative
of the conditions across the duct. During development it became clear that at the low flows
rates required to achieve the higher temperatures; convective forces tended to separate the
flow in horizontal ducts. For this reason, vertical flow homogenisation is adopted. Swirl plates
(3) and (11) are used to mix the flows. Turning vane corners (5) and (10) are used to ensure
a uniform velocity for the trays in the drying duct.
The heater is powered by a computer controlled power supply which accurately meters the
power supplied to the heater. This feature combined with accurate temperature and relative
humidity measurement sensors before (1) and after (4) the heater allows the mass-airflow
through the unit to be accurately determined from the temperature rise. The duct temperature
and user input of the barometric pressure (barometer not supplied) allow the air density in the
duct to be calculated by the software. By taking account of the duct area, the flow velocity is
calculated and displayed. Software control of the heater also prevents overheating in the
event of a fan failure or airflow obstruction. A further thermostatic overtemperature switch is
included as a safety feature.
The four media trays (8) are inserted into the duct through a removable hatch (9) in the bottom
of the duct. They are hung from hooks supported by a single load-cell (7) which is designed
for accurate measurement with uneven loading. The duct walls feature double-glazed panels
on both sides facilitating excellent visual inspection of the drying process.
Air flow velocities between 0.4 m/s to 2.8 m/s can be achieved in the duct, (dependent upon
operating temperature). Air temperatures of up to 80 C can be achieved at low airflows (See
‘Air velocity and temperature curve’ section 14.1 for further information). The air entering the
duct passes over an electric heating element (2) to heat the air to temperatures up to 80 C at
low air velocity. The temperature of the air can be accurately controlled through a PID
controller built into the UOP8 MKIII armBUS software which varies the electrical supply to the
heating element.
Air (dry bulb) temperature and relative humidity are continuously measured at three points (1),
(4) and (12); before and after the trays. The absolute humidity is calculated by the software
from these figures, or can be found on the ‘Psychrometric Chart’ 14.2.
The equipment needs to be connected to a suitable PC (not included) to allow remote control
and data acquisition with the armBUS software.

9.2 Drying Duct
The main duct is a 230 mm x 230 mm foam insulated, rectangular channel with locking bottom
hatch (9). The cross-sectional dimension of the duct is 230mm x 230mm = 52900 mm2 or
0.0529 m2 .
The cross-sectional area of the trays is 200mm x 10mm x 4 = 8000 mm2, so the free area of
the duct with the loaded trays in place is 52900 – 8000 = 44900 mm2 or 0.0449 m2.
9.3 Electrical Console
The electrical console is located at the front of the unit and contains electrical and electronic
hardware. The On/Off power switch for the whole unit is accessible from the front side of the
unit. The USB socket for connection to a PC is located at the righthand side of the unit.
The signals accessible via the USB interface include the fan speed control, heater, power
control, air mass flow and velocity display, temperature sensor displays, relative and absolute
humidity sensor display and weight display.
9.4 Air Flow Fan
The axial fan (14) is located downstream of the trays and pulls air through the duct. The air
flow velocity can be controlled by motor speed variation.
9.5 Heater
The heater (2) heating-elements designed to provide heating within the intake aperture. A
maximum heating output of 2.4kW is provided using an intelligent power supply system. This
permits software-controlled modulation of the heating input and allows the UOP8 MKIII to
operate from a single-phase power supply. The heater is located at the inlet of the unit and is
used to heat the air flowing over the trays in the duct. An air temperature sensing thermostat
is incorporated in the duct above the heater elements which is a back-up safety measure
which cuts the power in the event of overheating.
Over Temperature
The UOP8 MKIII is designed to work up to a maximum temperature of 80 C with an ambient
inlet temperature of 20ºC. For the safe operation of the tray drier this temperature limit is
controlled by the software. A further thermostat switch set to turn off the heater at 95C is
provided to ensure safety. An additional safety feature of armBUS is that hitting the escape
key at any time and closing the software shuts down the UOP8 MKlll. In addition, if the USB
cable is detached it will also cause the unit to shut down.

9.6 Air Velocity
The air velocity in the duct can be calculated from the Mass Air Flow (MAF) through the unit.
This is derived from the temperature rise as the air flows across the heater.
𝑃ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟
𝑀𝐴𝐹 =
𝐶𝑝 . ∆𝑇
Where Pheater is the heater power in kW, ∆𝑇 is the temperature change as the air flows across the
heater, equal to T2 -T1 and Cp is the Specific heat capacity of air at constant pressure and is
equal to 1.006 kJ/kg.K. This reading becomes very accurate once the unit has achieved a
steady state.
The volume air-flow (VAF) of the air in the duct depends on the ambient pressure and the
temperature. The equation is a rearrangement of the Ideal Gas equation.
𝑃𝑉 = 𝑀𝑅𝑇
Where R is the Gas Constant for air. R = 0.287 kJ/kg
Vaf
𝑀𝑅𝑇
𝑉𝑎𝑓 =
𝑃
Note that if the mass per second Maf is used this equation gives the volume per second Vaf in
m3/s. The software applies a standard ambient pressure at sea level of 101.3 kPa. Greater
accuracy can be achieved by inputting the actual ambient pressure from a barometer (not
supplied).
The velocity in the duct (Uduct) will therefore be the volume air flow / the duct area (see section
9.2).
𝑉
𝑈𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡 =
𝐴𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡
And the velocity over the trays (UTrays) will be the volume air flow / the duct area (see section
9.2).
𝑉
𝑈𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑦𝑠 =
𝐴𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑦𝑠
9.7 Load Cell
A load cell is used to determine the weight of the media. The load cell chosen is a strain gauge
designed to be insensitive to uneven load distribution. This permits a single cell to be used.
The cell converts the load acting on it into an electrical signal. When weight is applied, the
strain changes the electrical resistance of the gauges and the electrical resistance change, is
proportional to the load. The trays are inserted through a hatch in the bottom of the duct and
are hung from hooks attached to the load cell which project from the top surface of the duct.
The maximum loading weight of the load cells in the UOP8 MKIII is 5kg (including trays and
tray holder). The user should ensure the solid media is evenly distributed over the trays for
even drying performance.

The accuracy of the load cells is sensitive to temperature. Therefore, in order to achieve
consistent and reliable results it is recommended that the tray drier be pre-heated to the
operating temperature using the preheat cycle before carrying out experiments. This will allow
the load cells to reach a steady temperature and consistent results. The trays should not be
in the dryer during this time as they may become hot and unsafe to handle without use of
personal protective clothing. Once the trays are loaded with damp media and installed in the
duct, the reading can be zero-ed, in order to display the weight change as the media dries out.
9.8 Temperature / Relative Humidity Sensor
Three Temperature and Relative Humidity (T/RH) sensors are used in the UOP8-MKIlI (1), (4)
and (12). The first (1) is located externally and measures the ambient temperature and relative
humidity. The second (4) is located at the top of the vertical duct, upstream of the drying trays
and the other (12) on the downstream side at the bottom of the vertical homologising duct.
The vertical homologising ducts have been designed to ensure that the reading is insensitive
to changes in the position of the sensor in the duct. This arrangement allows accurate
measurements of drying temperatures and changes in temperature and relative humidity as
the media dries, permitting accurate mass and energy balance results to be determined.
Temperature is measured using a solid-state sensor accurate to ±0.3C. The relative humidity
sensor can operate in the range from 10 to 100% Relative Humidity. This is a fast responding
sensor with an accuracy of ±2% RH, and a repeatability of 0.1%.
In most experimental use, the change in temperature and relative humidity reading is of
greater importance than the absolute reading. By running the unit from cold, with the heater
off and the trays dry and empty or removed from the unit and the fan on full power, the
conditions for each sensor can be assumed to converge on the same value. At this point,
sensors T2/Rh2 and T3/Rh3 readings can be synchronised with the reading of the inlet sensor
T1/Rh1. This will enable very accurate data to be gathered.
9.9 Data Logger/Equipment Controller and Software
The Armfield UOP8 MKllI Tray Drier is designed to be operated using the armBUS software
supplied with the equipment. To operate the UOP8 MKIlI Tray Drier the unit must be connected
to a suitable Windows based PC or laptop running the armBUS software. The UOP8-MKIlI
software allows data logging of experimental results and performs some standard calculations
on the data. The software also includes PID control of air temperature (heater power) before
the trays and user-defined control of air velocity.

10 Installation
10.1 Advisory
Before operating the equipment, it must be unpacked, assembled and installed as described
in the steps that follow. Safe use of the equipment depends on following the correct installation
procedure.
10.2 Electrical Supply
Electrical Supply for Version UOP8-MKIlI

The equipment requires connection to a single phase fused electrical supply. The unit will
accommodate supplies from 90VAC to 240VAC at 50-60Hz with the appropriate power lead.
Connection should be made to the supply cable as follows:
GREEN/YELLOW - EARTH
BROWN - LIVE (HOT)
BLUE - NEUTRAL
Fuse/ CB Rating - 220/240V - 20 Amp, 110 / 120V - 30Amp
10.3 Installing the Software
Install the armBUS software on a suitable PC (not supplied) from the memory stick provided.

10.4 Installing the Equipment
All numerical references relate to Equipment Diagrams section 8.
Assemble the unit as shown below.

Position the unit in the desired location which should be level, with access from the sides of
the unit to the duct viewing windows and ensuring that the hatch in the underside of the duct
is within easy reach. Ensure that the air inlet and exhaust are clear of obstructions by 500mm
in all directions. Apply the wheel brakes. Ensure that all packaging materials have been
removed.
Carefully locate the four sample trays on the tray support (8).
Hang the tray support (8) inside the duct, ensuring that the two support loops are resting on
the load cell hooks projecting through holes in the roof of the duct.

10.5 Commissioning
All numerical references relate to the Equipment Diagrams section 8.
Check switch (15) is in the OFF position. Connect the equipment to the electrical supply.
Switch the equipment on.
Open the console and check that the RCD (16) is operating correctly by pressing the TEST
button. The circuit breaker MUST trip when the button is pressed. Failure to trip means that
the operator is not protected, and the equipment must be checked and repaired by a
competent electrician before it is used. Reset the breaker after the test.
Connect the UOP8 MKlII to a PC running the armBUS software through the USB interface.
Open the armBUS software (this must be done which the Unit powered up and connected).
Run the fan at 100%. Check that the temperature and relative humidity sensors readings are
indicated on the screen and the readings are rational and approximately the same. Record
any differences between the readings. These can be factored into the results after
experimental runs. Alternatively, offsets can be applied to synchronise the readings by using
the Maintenance screen.
Run the fan at 15%. Adjust the heater setting in 20C increments. Check that the temperature
rises on T2 and T3. The temperature rise on T2 will lead the rise on T3.
Check that the Mass Air Flow and duct velocity readings rise with increasing fan speed.
The RH2 and RH3 values should reduce as the temperature increases.
Set the heater setting to maximum and the fan speed to minimum. The temperature T2 should
rise to 80C at which point the heater setting will automatically reduce to prevent this
temperature being exceeded.
Set the "Fan Setting" to 100%, set the "Heater Setting" to 0 but do not turn the heater off. Allow
the trays to cool. Once the trays have cooled, set the fan setting to 0%. With the tray holder in
place Zero the load cell on the software, so that it would display a weight of zero. Remove the
rack and load the empty trays onto the tray holder via the access hatch (9). Click the zero
button one more time and place a suitable weight on one of the sample trays (8) and check
correct reading is shown. Remove the weight from the sample tray and check balance returns
to the zeroed reading.
Turn power off by putting the main switch (1) to the OFF position.
Disconnect the UOP8 MKIII USB from the PC.
Note: When filling the trays with samples for drying, ensure that the filling is evenly distributed
to maintain the trays in a horizontal position.
To perform the experiments outlined in the laboratory sheets, the following will be required:
1. A supply of porous media to dry. Pumice (two sizes 2 - 5 mm and 0.2 - 0.5 mm) is
recommended as a suitable porous drying media.
2. A supply of water for wetting the samples.

3. A Windows based operating system or PC with the UOP8 MKIII armBUS software
installed and running. The hardware and software are fully compatible with Windows
7 and later.
11 Operation
Where necessary, refer to the drawings in Equipment Diagrams section 8.
11.1 Operating the Software
Please refer to the software operating instructions supplied on the armBUS data stick.
The armBUS interface provides the user with a graphical means of interacting with the TH6
via a PC or laptop. A series of screens are available as shown within this section. The screens
allow for control, visualisation of real-time data values and alarms, graphing and datalogging
plus a means of calibration, (offset), of temperature sensors.
The various screens have icons which allow the user to interact with the unit.
Start/Stop Button activates the communication between the HMI and the ArmBUS
electronics of the unit. After switching to start all the control functions will activate.
Switching to stop will override all control functions and shut down the hardware
components.
This button accesses the graphical display screen.
These buttons will start and stop the datalogging.
This button will return the operator to the Home screen.
Button to return to the previous screen.

Accesses the main process operation screen
Accesses the Preheat screen
Accesses the Maintenance screen for temperature sensor reading

adjustment. The access password is ‘8781’.
Accesses contact details.
Toggles the heater power on and off.
Temperature slider to control working temperature.
Fan slider to control % fan speed. Note that the minimum fan speed is set
to 6%. Fan will only operate when Heater ON/OFF is set to ON irrespective of temperature
setpoint.
Ambient Pressure setting. If ambient, (atmospheric), pressure is measured,

then the use of this slider can be used to adjust the value for calculations used within the
software.
The sliders can be operated in four ways: i) use of the + & - buttons for single increments. ii)
Moving the slider element of the control. iii) tapping the slider bar to change the sweep speed
in increments of + or – 10 units. iv) Double tapping the slider element calls up a numeric
keypad to enter and exact value and pressing the green enter button.
Allows for values to be offset when in the maintenance screen.

Home Screen.
Run Screen.

Preheat Screen.
Maintenance Screen.

Datalogging Screen.
The graph display area can be adjusted, navigated on the time axis and specific time periods
viewed by use of the row of grey buttons. Data is continuously captured from all sensors whilst
data capture is active.
The graphical display of each can be toggled on and off by pressing which will turn to a green
tick and deactivated by pressing the tick to revert to a red cross.
The scaling, minimum and maximum, can be adjusted using the function buttons above each
numerical column. The user will require to switch for example hour to minute and back to
update the axis scaling.
To return to the previous screen pressing
Captured data can be downloaded to a USB stick via the USB port at the rear of the unit. Data
is transferred to the USB stick by pressing . It should be noted that the USB stick
must be of a minimum capacity of 2GB.
Previously captured data can be erased by pressing and moving to the right the
button except for the current and previous days data.
Note that during data transfer the unit, if running, will go into a hold state. Once data is
transferred the unit will become active again. It is therefore recommended to save data after
completing any experimentation.
A file is called < UOP8 dd-mm-yyyy results.ardb > where dd-mm-yyyy is the date of the test.
These results can be viewed and processed on the PC using the ArmBUS Results Viewer
Software, or the file can be copied to another PC or network drive and the PV Viewer loaded
on that PC.
To view the results, open the ArmBUS Results Viewer software. Go to File, Open file then
navigate to the appropriate < UOP8 dd-mm-yyyy results.ardb > file and click “open”. A list of

start and stop times and dates will be displayed on the left of the screen relating to experiments
conducted. Select the experiment to be viewed by double clicking.
Set the time resolution to seconds. Initially all the sensor results will be displayed but those
which are not required can be removed by unticking the Sensor results selector box. The axis
maximum and minimum figures can be adjusted to resolve the range of interest. Enter the
required figure in the box then press return to update the display. Unchecking the chart box at
the top of the screen displays the data as columns of figures. To exporting data, select the
required file. Click file, export, then enter the required file location and name. Alternatively,
with the chart box unchecked, cells or blocks of data can be highlighted and copied by pressing
<Ctrl C>, then pasted into an Excel spreadsheet.
Contacts Screen

11.2 Operating the Equipment
11.2.1 Controlling the Heaters

The heaters are controlled by the temperature sliders in the RUN and Preheat and Main
menus.
When performing experiments dependant on temperature, it is best to use automatic control.

This produces stable temperatures rapidly and maintains the temperatures as external
conditions change. However, when performing quantitative heating power investigations, it is
best to use Manual control. This produces a constant power output that can be accurate
measured for use in calculations. However, dryer temperatures take longer to stabilise and
are dependent on changes in environmental conditions.
11.2.2 Manipulating the fan speed

The fan speed is manually manipulated from the software using the up/down buttons on the
mimic diagram. The associated air velocity is displayed on the sensor reading box “Inlet Air
Velocity” and the corresponding “Air velocity over the trays”.
11.2.3 USB Interface

The UOP8 MKIII interfaces to the computer using a USB interface which is built into the
electrical enclosure.
The use of USB means that any current or projected Windows based system can be used.

12 Equipment Specifications
12.1 Overall Dimensions
Height - 1.76 m
Length - 1.80 m
Width - 0.70 m
12.2 Equipment Location
The equipment is designed to operate floor standing within a laboratory. A free space of
approximately one metre at both ends is required to ensure that air flow is not obstructed.
Warm, humid air may be expelled from the equipment, depending on the experiment being
performed. If air extraction is not employed, the equipment should be sited in a well-ventilated
area away from other equipment sensitive to moisture or warm temperatures.
The equipment requires connection to a 20Amp single phase, fused electrical supply. Four
metres of supply cable are provided with the equipment.
12.3 Electromagnetic Compatibility
This apparatus is classified as Education and Training Equipment under the Electromagnetic
Compatibility (Amendment) Regulations 1994. Use of the apparatus outside the classroom,
laboratory or similar place invalidates conformity with the requirements of the Electromagnetic
Compatibility Directive (89/336/EEC) and could lead to prosecution. These regulations may
not apply in some countries.
12.4 Environmental Conditions
This equipment has been designed for operation in the following environmental conditions.
Operation outside of these conditions may result reduced performance, damage to the
equipment or hazard to the operator.
a. Indoor use.
b. Altitude up to 2000 m.
c. Temperature 5 °C to 40 °C.
d. Maximum relative humidity 80 % for temperatures up to 31 °C, decreasing linearly to

50 % relative humidity at 40 °C.
e. Mains supply voltage fluctuations up to ±10% of the nominal voltage.
f. Transient over-voltages typically present on the MAINS supply.

Note: The normal level of transient over-voltages is impulse withstand (over-voltage)

category II of IEC 60364-4-443.
g. Pollution degree 2.
Normally only nonconductive pollution occurs.
Temporary conductivity caused by condensation is to be expected.
Typical of an office or laboratory environment.

13 Routine Maintenance
13.1 Responsibility
To preserve the life and efficient operation of the equipment it is important that the equipment
is properly maintained. Regular maintenance of the equipment is the responsibility of the end
user and must be performed by qualified personnel who understand the operation of the
equipment.
13.2 General
In addition to regular maintenance the following notes should be observed:
1. The equipment should be disconnected from the electrical supply when not in use.
2. The sample trays should be cleaned after use and any debris or moisture removed
from the tunnel.
Note: The equipment is protected by a combined circuit breaker and RCD located at the rear
of the equipment.
13.3 Calibration of Relative Humidity Sensors
The humidity sensors are supplied with calibration already performed.
13.4 Calibration of Temperature Sensors
The temperature sensors used are highly accurate thermistors and should never need
recalibration.
13.5 Calibration of the Load Cell
The load cells are nominally calibrated before dispatch and should not need adjustment.
13.6 Cleaning Procedure
13.6.1 Cleaning the Duct

The duct can be cleaned by opening the tunnel access door and removing the trays and tray
holder.
If it is required to remove the flow straightening baffle upstream of the working section, then it
will be necessary to release the gland sealing the temperature/humidity sensor and lower the
sensor to allow the baffle to be removed.


14 Index to Exercises
Exercise A Deriving a drying rate curve
Exercise B Effect of particle size on the drying rate curve.
Exercise C Effect of air velocity on the drying rate curve.
Exercise D Effect of temperature on the drying rate curve.

14.1 Air velocity and air temperature curve
The duct air temperature is a function of ambient temperature flow rate and heater power.

14.2 Psychrometric Chart

14.3 Exercise A
Objective
To produce a drying and a drying rate curve for a wet solid being dried with air of fixed
temperature and humidity.
Theory
Immediately after contact between the drying media (wet solid) and the drying medium (hot
air), the solid temperature adjusts until it reaches a steady state. If the solid is initially very wet
the surface is essentially covered in a thin film of liquid considered to be unbound
moisture. The solid temperature and the rate of drying may increase or decrease to reach
the steady state condition. At steady state, the temperature of the wet solid surface is the wet
bulb temperature of the drying medium. Temperatures within the drying solid also tend to equal
the wet bulb temperature of the air. However, lag between the movement of mass and heat
result in some deviation. Once the media temperatures reach the wet bulb temperature of the
air, the temperatures of the media and air become stable and the drying rate remains constant.
This is the “constant rate drying”. The moisture is transported to the surface of the media by
capillary forces and drying is limited only by the rate at which the heat is supplied. This period
ends when the solid reaches the critical moisture content. The surface film of moisture over
the solid has been reduced by evaporation to a point where any further drying causes dry
spots to appear on the solid surface. Beyond the critical moisture content, the surface
temperature of the solid rises and the drying rate falls off rapidly. This is the “falling rate” period
and can last for a significantly longer time than the constant rate period. This holds true even
though the moisture removal may be less. The drying rate approaches zero as the moisture
content reaches equilibrium. This is the lowest moisture content obtainable with the solid under
the drying conditions used.
Notes:
• It is recommended that a porous granular solid such as 1.4 – 3 mm pumice grit should
be used for the drying media to be tested.
• Ensure that the equipment and PC have been set up as described in the installation
guide and that the PC is connected and switched on with the UOP8 MKIII software
running.
• Select the Preheat screen and click start. Check that the sensor readings in the
software indicate reasonable values.
• It is recommended that the laboratory be well ventilated to ensure that warm moist air
discharged from the drier does not affect the original inlet conditions during the
experiment.
• As the tray drier warms to the pre-heat temperature the indicated weight of the tray
holder may vary. This is a result of mechanical expansion of the metals and the
thermal coefficient of the load cell. After 15 to 20 minutes at the set temperature steady
state of the weight is reached.
• It is recommended to soak the drying media in water during the time where the drier is
being pre-heated.

Procedure
Start-up (Pre-Heating & Zeroing load cell):
1. Make sure the unit is switched off and remove the four drying trays and support frame
through the hatch in the bottom of the duct from the UOP8-MKIIl and set aside. Close
the hatch securely.
2. Turn on the UOP8-MKIIl tray drier using the main switch, then open the armBUS
software. Select the Pre-heat screen.
3. Select Start at the top left of the screen. Check that the sensor values are active and
reasonable.
4. The Datalogging screen on the screen shows the relationship between duct air velocity
and temperature at various heater power levels. Choose experimental values which
are within the envelope shown on the chart.
5. Adjust the fan speed to the required velocity setting and set the temperature by moving
the control sliders. Note that the airflow velocity indicator will only give a correct
reading when the heater is switched on and the temperature has reached equilibrium.
Note: Load cells typically take 15 minutes to reach operating temperatures. During this
time step 1 of the experiment can be carried out.
6. After about 15 minutes, check that the T2 temperature has reached the target
temperature indicating that the duct has been pre-heated. Leave the Preheat screen
and open the Run screen. Initiate the data gathering if not already active. Run the
unit at the required temperature and airflow setting for a further 10 minutes. If the duct
airflow reading differs slightly from that required, make incremental adjustments to the
fan setting allowing the reading to settle. Check the Chart View (press ) and
uncheck all the boxes except the T1, T2, and T3 boxes. Check that the T2 and T3
plots are level and parallel with T3 slightly lower than T2 due to heat losses with flow
along the duct.
7. Zero the load-cell reading.
The UOP8-MKIII drier is now ready to begin the experiment:
1. Obtain sufficient pumice (or another appropriate drying media) to fill the 4 trays to a
depth of 4.5 – 6.5 mm (approximately 150-200 g of 1.4 – 3 mm pumice grit per tray)
should be weighed out and the weight recorded. Submerge the pumice and soak in
water (typically ten minutes soaking in water is a sufficient length of time).
2. Removed the pumice from the water and drain using a strainer to remove excess ‘free’
water. Weigh the wet pumice again and calculate the weight of water.
3. Evenly distribute the wet pumice onto each drying tray and load the tray onto the frame.
Note: If this is not the first set of results recorded during this session, ensure to begin
a new set of results in the data logger by clicking the button from the side menu.

5. Open the duct hatch and lift the tray frame and trays into duct so that they hang from
the load-cell hooks. Close the hatch securely.
6. Record the total weight indicated (material and water).
7. Zero the load cells on the software so you will see a total mass of zero. Doing this will
make the total weight appear as a negative value and demonstrate drying of the
pumice or granular media.
8. Make sure the datalogging is active.
9. Switch on the Heater and set the temperature setpoint to 40C.
10. Set the fan speed to give an air velocity of approx. 1m/s.
10. In Chart View check the Mass box to display the decreasing mass of the trays as
the water evaporates.
11. The end of drying occurs when there is no change in the total weight for 5 – 10 minutes.
Note: Typically, this experiment takes up to three hours.
12. Switch the UOP8-MKIII drier off using the main switch on the drier.
13. When end of drying has been confirmed by the mass plot on the chart levelling out,
select the icon to stop recording data.
14. Set the heater to zero to begin cooling the equipment. When T2 reaches room
temperature, set the fan speed to 0%.
16. Remove the trays from the tray holders and return the dried pumice.
17. Return the trays back onto the tray holders, hang the tray holder in the duct and secure
the hatch.
To save the data close the armBUS Desktop by pressing esc then clicking the confirm exit
box. Open the armBUS Results Viewer and click File > Open File. Select the file with the
current date and double click or click file open. This will reveal a list of data files from the day,
denoted by start and stop time. The selected file can be opened in seconds or minutes mode
depending on the time resolution of the data required. The data can be inspected in the results
viewer. Control of the Results Viewer is defined in the table below.

Results
Equation A1
Using Equation A1, calculate the moisture content removed from the solid.
Plot the drying curve relating moisture content as a function of time. On the secondary axis
plot the temperature after the trays (T2).
Figure A2: Typical Drying Curve
X1E = Equilibrium moisture content
Produce the drying rate vs. moisture content curve by differentiating the data from the drying
curve. Identify the points A, B, C and D as shown on the examples for a drying curve and
drying rate curve. These points are where the drying passes from one regime to the next.
Equation A2
Where:
Ss (kg) = Mass of dry solid
= Change in moisture content
(h) = Time period
A (m2) = Drying area over which the gas blows
The dimensions for each tray are 254mm x 304.8mm x 9.5mm. Therefore, the total drying
area for the four trays is given by Equation A3.
Equation A3 4 × (254𝑚𝑚 × 304.8𝑚𝑚)

Drying Area = = 0.31𝑚2
10002

A reasonable approximation can be made by applying for example a dT of 5 minutes such that
equation A2 becomes:
−𝑆𝑆 (𝑋6𝑚𝑖𝑛 − 𝑋1𝑚𝑖𝑛 ) 1

𝐷𝑟𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑅𝑎𝑡𝑒 (𝑘𝑔 ℎ−1 𝑚−2 ) = .
5 𝐴
Below is an example of an ideal drying rate curve.
XC = Critical moisture content
Figure A3: Typical Drying Rate Curve
Due to noise and accuracy of the weight measurements some smoothing could be required to
give a clear curve.
Conclusion
Comment upon the results obtained and relate the curves to the mechanism by which drying
occurs. What is the significance of the equilibrium moisture content?
If results did not reflect that which the theory suggests, what may have caused this
discrepancy?
When the “critical moisture content” occurs, what happens to T3?

14.4 Exercise B
Objective
To investigate the influence of particle size on the drying behaviour of a wet solid being dried
with air of fixed temperature and humidity
Theory
When drying, once the temperatures within a water-saturated, granular solid reach the wet
bulb temperature of the air, the drying rate becomes constant. This remains the case until the
critical moisture content is reached. Beyond this point, the rate of movement of liquid to the
solid surface is less than the rate of evaporation from the solid surface. As a result, there
becomes insufficient moisture to replace the liquid being evaporated, causing the liquid
interface to retreat from the surface. This causes the overall drying rate to reduce. Heat and
mass must diffuse through the top layers of the solid to allow for further drying and this is
dependent on the ease of movement of moisture within the solid. Such movement is controlled
by a wet force, which arises from differences in hydrostatic pressures and surface tension
effects in the interstices between the various particles. Hence, drying is dependent on the
particle size and the effects on the particle interstices.
Notes:
• It is recommended that different sizes of a porous, granular solid such as fractions of

pumice grit (0.4 – 1 mm and 1.4 – 3 mm), should be used for the materials to be tested.
• If Experiment A has been conducted under the same ambient conditions that
Experiment B is to be conducted, then results from Experiment A can be used in place
of step number 15 of Experiment B.
• Ensure that the equipment and PC have been set up as described in the installation
guide and that the PC is connected and switched on with the UOP8 MKIII software
running.
• Check that the sensor readings in the software indicate reasonable values.
• It is recommended that the laboratory be well ventilated to ensure that warm moist air
discharged from the drier does not affect the original inlet conditions during the
experiment.
• As the tray drier warms to the pre-heat temperature the weight of the tray holder may
vary. This is a result of mechanical expansion of the metals and the thermal coefficient
of the individual load cells. After 15 to 20 minutes at the set temperature steady state
of the weight is reached.
• It is recommended to soak the drying media in water during the time where the drier is
being pre-heated.
• It would be valuable to perform similar experiments using alternative substances e.g.,

organic solids such as eggs, detergents, glues, soluble coffee extract, cereals, starch,
animal blood or soyabean extract. However, it should be noted that in these
amorphous, fibrous and gel-like substances, moisture movement is essentially the
result of molecular diffusion and experimental test times are, therefore, likely to be
quite lengthy.

Procedure
the hatch securely.
reasonable.
4. The Datalogging screen on the screen shows the relationship between duct air velocity
and temperature at various heater power levels. Choose experimental values which
are within the envelope shown on the chart.
the control sliders. Note: that the airflow velocity indicator will only give a correct
along the duct.
depth of 3.5 – 5 mm (approximately 150-200 g of each of the 0.4 – 1 mm and 1.4 – 3
mm pumice grit per tray) should submerged and soaked in water (typically ten minutes
soaking in water is a sufficient length of time).

8. Set the fan speed to give an air velocity of approx. 1m/s.
temperature set the fan speed to 0%.
15. Repeat steps 1 to 15 for the second particle size range grit.
the hatch.

Results
Equation B1
Using Equation B1, calculate the moisture content removed from the solid.
Plot the drying curve relating moisture content as a function of time for each test on the same
graph. On the secondary axis plot the temperature after the trays (T2).
Figure B2: Typical Drying Curve for Different Particle Sizes
curve.
Equation B2
Where:
(h) = Time period
The dimensions for each tray are 254 mm x 304.8 mm x 9.5 mm. Therefore, the total drying
area for the four trays is given by Equation B3.
Equation B3 4 × (254𝑚𝑚 × 304.8𝑚𝑚)

10002

equation B2 becomes:

5 𝐴
The figure below is an example of an ideal drying rate curve for 3000μm and 300μm
Figure B3: Typical Drying Rate Curve for Different Particle Sizes
Due to noise and accuracy of the weight measurements some smoothing of results may be
required to give a clear curve.
Conclusion
Comment upon the results obtained. If results did not reflect that which the theory suggests,
what may have caused this discrepancy?
How did particle size influence the equilibrium content (X1E)?
How was the critical moisture content affected?
Does the capillarity mechanism movement account for the results?

14.5 Exercise C
Objective
To investigate the influence of air velocity on the drying rate of a wet solid being dried with air
of fixed temperature and humidity.
Theory
Once the media temperatures reach the wet bulb temperature of the air, the temperatures of
the media and air become stable and the drying rate remains constant. This is the “constant
rate drying” period. The moisture is transported to the surface of the media by capillary forces
and drying is limited only by the rate at which the heat is supplied. It is shown in Equation C1
that the drying rate during the constant rate period is proportional to the heat transfer
coefficient and the difference between the dry bulb temperature of the air and the wet bulb
temperature at the solid surface. The heat transfer coefficient is dependent on the velocity of
the air passing over the media. As velocities increase, the rate of evaporation of moisture from
the surface of the solid also increases along with the mass transfer coefficient of moisture
transported to the solid surface. Hence, higher air velocities give a higher drying rate during
the constant rate drying period. This period ends when the solid reaches the critical moisture
content.
Equation C1
where:
Nc = drying rate during constant rate period
hc = total heat transfer coefficient (essentially convective)
Tv = temperature of the drying gas
Ti = temperature of the liquid/gas interface
If radiation and conduction through the solid are insignificant as is the case with tray drying,
then Equation C1 becomes:
Equation C2
where:
G = air mass velocity

Notes:
It is recommended that a porous granular solid such as 1.4 – 3 mm pumice grit should
• Ensure that the equipment and PC have been set up as described in the
installation guide and that the PC is connected and switched on with the UOP8
MKIII software running.
• It is recommended that the laboratory be well ventilated to ensure that warm

moist air discharged from the drier does not affect the original inlet conditions
during the experiment.
• As the tray drier warms to the pre-heat temperature the weight of the tray holder
may vary. This is a result of mechanical expansion of the metals and the
thermal coefficient of the individual load cells. After 15 to 20 minutes at the set
temperature steady state of the weight is reached.
• It is recommended to soak the drying media in water during the time where the
drier is being pre-heated.
Procedure
the hatch securely.
reasonable.
4. The chart on the screen shows the relationship between duct air velocity and
temperature at various heater power levels. Choose experimental values which are
within the envelope shown on the chart.
the control sliders. Note: that the airflow velocity indicator will only give a correct

along the duct.
water (typically ten minutes soaking in water is a sufficient length of time).
9. Set the fan speed to10%.
15. Repeat for 1-14 for fan speed 25% and 50%.

the hatch.
Results
Equation C3
Using Equation C3, calculate the moisture content removed from the solid.
Figure C2: Typical Drying Curve for Different Air Velocities
curve.
Equation C4
Where:

(h) = Time period
area for the four trays is given by Equation C5.
Equation C5 4 × (254𝑚𝑚 × 304.8𝑚𝑚)

10002
equation C4 becomes:

5 𝐴
Figure C3 is an example of an ideal drying rate curve for 3000 μm and 300 μm
Figure C3: Typical Drying Rate Curve for Different Air Velocities
Conclusion
Comment upon the results obtained, noting in particular the relationship between air flow rate
and drying rate during the constant rate period.
If results did not reflect that which the theory suggests, what may have caused this
discrepancy?
Was the observed relationship predicted by the theoretical analysis?

Did the air velocity have such a direct influence during the falling rate period?
Did the critical moisture content or the equilibrium moisture content (X1E) exhibit any
dependency on the air velocity?
Suggest physical explanations for the observed results.

14.6 Exercise D
Objective
To investigate the influence of air temperature on the drying rate of a wet solid being dried
with air of fixed velocity.
Theory
Once the media temperatures reach the wet bulb temperature of the air, the temperatures of
the media and air become stable and the drying rate remains constant. This is the “constant
rate drying” period. The moisture is transported to the surface of the media by capillary forces
and drying is limited only by the rate at which the heat is supplied. It is shown in Equation D1
that the drying rate during the constant rate period is proportional to the heat transfer
coefficient and the difference between the dry bulb temperature of the air and the wet bulb
temperature at the solid surface. As this temperature difference increases, the rate of
evaporation of moisture from the surface of the solid also increases along with the mass
transfer coefficient of moisture transported to the solid surface. Hence, higher air temperatures
give a higher drying rate during the constant rate drying period. This period ends when the
solid reaches the critical moisture content. Once the critical moisture content is reached, the
surface film of moisture over the solid has been reduced to a point where any further drying
causes dry spots to appear on the solid surface. Beyond the critical moisture content, the
surface temperature of the solid rises and the drying rate falls off rapidly. This is the “falling
rate” period and can last for a significantly longer length of time than the constant rate period.
This holds true even though the moisture removal may be less. The drying rate approaches
zero as the moisture content reaches equilibrium. The equilibrium moisture content is the
lowest moisture content obtainable and is dependent on solid temperature. The higher the
temperature, the lower the moisture content of the solid at equilibrium.
Equation D1
where:
Nc = drying rate during constant rate period
hc = total heat transfer coefficient (essentially convective)
Tv = temperature of the drying gas
Ti = temperature of the liquid/gas interface

Notes:
It is recommended that a porous granular solid such as 1.4 – 3 mm pumice grit should
• If Exercise A has been conducted under the same ambient conditions that
Exercise D is to be conducted, then results from Exercise A can be used in place
of one repeat of step number 14 of Exercise D.
• Ensure the equipment and PC have been set up as described in the installation
guide and that the PC is connected and switched on with the UOP8 MKIII
software running.
• It is recommended that the laboratory be well ventilated to ensure that warm

moist air discharged from the drier does not affect the original inlet conditions
during the experiment.
• As the tray drier warms to the pre-heat temperature the weight of the tray holder
may vary. This is a result of mechanical expansion of the metals and the thermal
coefficient of the individual load cells. After 15 to 20 minutes at the set
temperature steady state of the weight is reached.
• It is recommended to soak the drying media in water during the time where the
drier is being pre-heated.
Procedure
the hatch securely.
reasonable.
4. The chart on the screen shows the relationship between duct air velocity and
temperature at various heater power levels. Choose experimental values which are
within the envelope shown on the chart.
the control sliders. Note that the airflow velocity indicator will only give a correct

along the duct.
water (typically ten minutes soaking in water is a sufficient length of time). Removed
the pumice from the water and drain using a strainer to remove excess ‘free’ water.
Weigh the wet pumice again and calculate the weight of water.
2. Evenly distribute the wet pumice onto each drying tray and load the tray onto the
frame.
7. Switch on the heater and set the temperature setpoint to 40C.
8. Set the fan speed to 50%.
10. The end of drying occurs when there is no change in the total weight for 5 – 10
minutes.

14. Repeat 1-14 for temperatures of 50C and 60C.
17. Return the trays back onto the tray holders, hang the tray holder in the duct and
secure the hatch.
Results
Equation D2
Using Equation D2, calculate the moisture content removed from the solid.
Figure D2: Typical Drying Curve for Different Air Temperatures
curve.

Equation D3
Where:
(h) = Time period
area for the four trays is given by Equation D4.
Equation D4 4 × (254𝑚𝑚 × 304.8𝑚𝑚)

10002
equation D3 becomes:

5 𝐴
Figure D3 is an example of an ideal drying rate curve for 3000 μm and 300 μm
Figure D3: Typical Drying Rate Curve for Different Air Temperatures
Conclusion
Comment upon the results obtained, noting the influence that (Tv - Ti) had upon the drying rate
during the constant rate period.

Was there a direct dependence as indicated by the theory? If results did not reflect that which
the theory suggests, what may have caused this discrepancy?
Was the equilibrium moisture constant (X1E) seen to vary with the temperature of the air?
Suggest physical explanations for such dependence.
Why is there a practical upper limit to air temperature when drying certain solids?

15 Appendix 1
Psychrometric Chart
One of the challenges in processes such as tray drying experiments is to automate the look-
up process of the psychrometric chart, so that dry bulb temperature and relative humidity
measurement could be converted into a Specific Humidity figure. In addition, it was difficult to
find a psychrometric chart which showed data up to 100C.
Absolute Humidity, Specific Humidity and Humidity Ratio
Absolute Humidity is a measure of the mass of water vapour per cubic metre of volume. It
is therefore independent of the mass of air which is present. A vacuum could indeed have an
absolute humidity (acknowledging of course that strictly speaking it would no longer be a
vacuum). The humidity would be saturated when the pressure of the water vapour was equal
to the vapour pressure of water at the temperature of the vessel. At this point further water
introduced to the vessel would remain as liquid.
Specific Humidity is the ratio of the mass of water vapour in humid air per kg mass of the air-
water mixture. This is the value displayed on the Y-axis of the psychrometric chart used here.
Note that the partial pressure of water at saturation at a given temperature will always be the
same, but the partial pressure of the air will depend on the ambient pressure. Therefore, the
psychometric chart is only valid for one value of ambient pressure. A sea level chart will
therefore be inaccurate at elevations substantially above sea level. There will also be a
smaller pressure variation with meteorological variations in pressure, but for full accuracy a
pressure figure from a barometer should be entered in the pressure field.
Humidity Ratio is the mass of water divided by the mass of dry air. This figure is very similar
to Specific Humidity at normal ambient temperatures but diverges strongly as 100C is
approached when Specific Humidity becomes unity and humidity ratio becomes infinite.
Method
The approach used was to find an equation for the saturation pressure of water at
temperatures from 0 to 100C. All the equations available are empirical, that is they produce
a curve which fits the measured data, as opposed to being derived from information about the
nature of water.
The Goff Gratch equation is acknowledged as the most accurate.
Log10 ew = -7.90298*(373.16/T-1)+5.02808*Log10(373.16/T)-1.3816 10-7 (1011.344 (1-T/373.16) -1)

+8.1328*10-3 (10-3.49149(373.16/T-1) -1)Log10(1013.25)
with T in [K] and ew in [hPa]
• Guide to Meteorological Instruments and Methods of Observation (CIMO Guide)

(WMO, 2008)
The number 373.16 is the boiling point of water in Kelvin at standard atmosphere conditions;
the point at which the vapour pressure of water equals 1013.25mb . Raising 10 to the power
of ew gives the vapour pressure of water Pw at temperature T in Kelvin.
“The total pressure of a mixture of gases is equal to the sum of the partial pressures of the
individual gases in the mixture”. Dalton’s Law
So, if the pressure of the atmosphere is Patm , then the partial pressure of air Pa in the mixture
must be;
Pa = Patm - Pw
If we multiply the pressures of air and water by their respective molar masses M ma and Mmw,
we will have the relative masses in the mixture.
Mw = Pw.Mmw Ma = (Patm – Pw). Mma

The specific humidity is the mass of water divided by the mass of the mixture.

SH = Mw / (Mw + Ma)
So SH = Pw.Mmw /((Patm – Pw)Mma +Pw. Mmw)
Dividing the top and bottom by Pw.
SH = Mmw / ((Patm / Pw) –1) Mma + Mmw)
Dividing the top and bottom by Mmw
SH = 1 / ((Patm /Pw) – 1)/ Mma /Mmw + 1
Using the Goff Gratch equation to give the partial pressure of water at a range of temperatures
from 0 to 100C, a curve was plotted representing the relationship between temperature and
Specific Humidity at saturation or 100% relative Humidity. Multiplying this result by numbers
at 0.1 intervals between 1 and 0 gave the various unsaturated relative humidity lines.

100
%
95%
0.025
90%
85%
0.02
80%
Specific Humidity
75%
0.015
70%
65%
0.01
60%
55%
0.005 50%
45%
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Dry Bulb Temp (C)
Wet Bulb Temperatures

If the bulb of a thermometer is kept within a damp wick, water evaporates taking heat energy
from the thermometer and lowering the reading. The rate of evaporation at a given dry bulb
temperature will depend on the relative humidity. At saturation there will be no evaporation,
so the wet bulb temperature will equal the dry bulb temperature. The wet bulb lines are linear
and parallel on the psychrometric chart.
If a wet bulb thermometer is placed in a flow of dry air at a relative humidity of 0% and a dry
bulb temperature of Ta between 0 and 100C, the air leaving the wick will be saturated. The
Goff Gratch equation can be used to derive the vapour pressure of the water Pw in the
saturated mixture and the partial pressure of the air Pa is the difference between this figure

and the atmospheric pressure Patm. The respective masses Ma and Mw of the air and water
can be calculated by multiplying the pressures by the Molar Masses Mma and Mmw.
The mass of water evaporates removing the latent heat of evaporation energy Qevap from the
air.
Qevap = Mw Clevap
As this evaporates it takes heat from the air and the increasing amount of water vapor. The
water vapor increases linearly, so the average mass during the process will be half the final
mass. The sensible heat content of the air can be evaluated relative to a datum temperature,
in this case 0 C.
Qsens = Ma . Cpa . Tref
The total energy is the sum of these Qtot = Qevap + Qsens

If we apply this heat to air initially at the reference temperature and the water vapor that has
joined it, we can evaluate the temperature change.
ΔT = Qtot / (Ma Cpa + Mw Cpwv )
This will return the dry bulb temperature in Celsius of the dry air required to give the wet bulb
/ dry bulb temperature at saturation. The difference between these temperatures is the wet
bulb depression.
If the Specific Humidity figure at the saturation point is divided by this temperature difference,
it gives the gradient of the line. If a line is plotted starting at points on the saturation line with
this gradient, these lines will represent the wet-bulb temperature lines.

100
%
95%
0.025
90%
85%
0.02
80%
Specific Humidity
75%
0.015
70%
65%
0.01
60%
55%
0.005 50%
45%
0
0 20 40 60 80 100
Dry Bulb Temp (C)
The straight lines on this chart represent the wet bulb temperatures.

1
Psychrometric Chart
0.9 100%
95%
90%
0.8 85%
80%
75%
70%
0.7 65%
60%
55%
Specific Humidity
0.6 50%
45%
40%
0.5 35%
30%
25%
0.4 20%
15%
10%
0.3 5%
0%
0C
0.2 5C
10 C
15 C
0.1 20 C
25 C
30 C
35 C
0 40 C
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 45 C
Dry Bulb Temp (C)
This is the same chart but with the axes extended to shows the data up to saturation at
100C.

16 Contact Details for Further Information
Main Office: Armfield Limited

10 Headlands Business Park
Salisbury Road
Ringwood
Hampshire
England BH24 3BP
Tel: +44 (0)1425 478781
Fax: +44 (0)1425 470916
Email: sales@armfield.co.uk
support@armfield.co.uk
Web: http://www.armfield.co.uk
US Office: Armfield Inc.

9 Trenton - Lakewood Road
Clarksburg, NJ 08501
Tel: (609) 208 2800
Email: info@armfieldinc.com

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Instruction Manual

November 2020 : PC-0065641

Each machine is accompanied by an EC Declaration of Conformity signed by the

The declaration of conformity states the model and serial number.

2006/95/EC The Low Voltage Directive

2004/108/EC The Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive

2006/42/EC The Machinery Directive

PC-0065641 2 Issue 1 November 2020

BS EN 61010-1:2010 Safety requirements for electrical equipment for measurement,

BS EN 61000-6-1:2007 Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). Generic standards.

BS EN 61000-6-3:2001 Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). Generic standards.

PC-0065641 3 Issue 1 November 2020

PC-0065641 4 Issue 1 November 2020

13.2 General ................................................................................................................. 34

PC-0065641 5 Issue 1 November 2020

United Kingdom International

(0) 1425 478781 +44 (0) 1425 478781

Fax: +44 (0) 1425 470916

4 Copyright and trademarks

Copyright © 2016 Armfield Limited. All rights reserved.

PC-0065641 6 Issue 1 November 2020

General warning indicating the potential risk of personal injury

Danger warning Caution: Explosion Risk

Electrical hazard Cold Burn hazard

High Voltage hazard Caution: Flammable

Rotating parts hazard Caution: Biohazard

Caution: corrosive material

This symbol draws your attention to Wear protective gloves

Wear eye protection Wear ear protection

Wear safety shoes Wear breathing protection

PC-0065641 7 Issue 1 November 2020

6.1 Failure to comply with safety standards

Specifically, such non-observance can cause:

• inability of machine and/or plant to perform key functions.

• damage to the machine and /or plant.

• electrical, mechanical and/or chemical danger to persons.

• environmental danger due to leakage of hazardous substances.

6.2 Start up, operation and maintenance

PC-0065641 8 Issue 1 November 2020

6.3 Intended conditions of use

The UOP8-MKIII is designed to give students an appreciation design and operational

6.4 Safety guidelines relating to maintenance, inspection and assembly

6.5 Arbitrary production and transformation of spare parts

PC-0065641 9 Issue 1 November 2020

The use of non-original parts voids the warranty.

6.7 Chemical Safety

6.8 Control of Hazardous Substances

The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations

• products containing chemicals

PC-0065641 10 Issue 1 November 2020

• gases and asphyxiating gases and

Safety data sheets

Any person using a hazardous substance must be informed of the following:

• Physical data about the substance.

• Any hazard from fire or explosion.

• Any hazard to health.

• Appropriate First Aid treatment.

• Any hazard from reaction with other substances.

• How to clean/dispose of spillage.

• Appropriate protective measures.

• Appropriate storage and handling.

PC-0065641 11 Issue 1 November 2020

More information can be found on http://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/index.htm

6.9 Water Borne Hazards