Thermodynamically analysis and optimization of potato drying in a combined infrared/convective dryer
Zhihua Geng, Hui Wang, Mehdi Torki, Mohsen Beigi, Lichun Zhu, Xiao Huang, Xuhai Yang, Bin Hu
Abstract
The present work dealt with a detailed energy and exergy analysis for potatoes drying in a hybrid infrared/hot air dryer. Studying optimization factors of drying air temperature and velocity and infrared power, response surface methodology (RSM) was also used to model and optimize performance of the dryer based on thermodynamic responses including drying time, energy loss, exergy destruction, and energy and exergy efficiencies. The results revealed that practicing higher temperatures and lower infrared powers generally resulted in better thermodynamic performance. Although higher drying air velocities enhanced the thermodynamic performance of the drying chamber but decreased energy and exergy efficiencies of the process. Modeling and RSM optimization of the investigated drying parameters resulted in air temperature and velocity and the infrared power of 70 °C, 1 m/s and 0.225 kW, respectively by maximum 0.878 desirability factor. Validation of the RSM revealed a good conformity between the experimental and predicted values with a maximum relative error of 3.15%.