Desenvolvimento de um sistema de secagem para grãos, em camada fina e espessa: comparação entre modelos matemáticos de simulação para grãos de feijão-macáçar (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walpers).

Abstract

The behavior of cowpea been’s physical properties was studied (Vigna unguiculata (l.) Walpers) - porosity, surface area, specific area, specific heat, bulk density and the relative equilibrium humidity, - with initial moisture content range 20, 40 and 65 %, wet basis, the initial moisture effects content the product, the temperature and the air drying speed , on kinetic of product drying. The relative equilibrium humidity of cowpea been with initial moisture content range 65 %, wet basis, had been determined by the static method, for temperatures of 20, 30, 40 and 50 ºC, with relative humidity varying between 0,10 and 0,85, decimal. For experimental data’s analysis, five mathematical models had been used: Henderson-Thompson’s; Henderson- Thompson’s model modified by Cavalcanti Mata; Chung-Pfost’s model; Oswin’s modified model; Halsey’s modified model. The study of the drying kinetic in thin-layer was made with temperatures of 40, 55 and 70 ºC, air drying speed of 0,2, 0,5 and 0,8 m/s. The Page’s model was adjusted to the experimental data to get the drying curve. To carry through the drying experimental part was projected and buidet a drier in laboratorial scale for fixed-bed drying and thin-layer , simultaneously, with capacity to dry eight kilos of grain in thick layer and one kilo in fine layer. The fixed-bed drying of the product was made with temperatures of 50, 60 and 70 ºC, in layer with thickness of 60 cm and air outflow of 0,59 drying of m3/min. The considered BAKKERARKEMA’s et al (1974) model was used. - Model of the Michigan State University (M.S.U.) - and Thompson’s model to simulate the drying process. Discretization of the differential equations was made by the finite volumes method, using an explicit formularization and the function of upwind space interpolation.