A.

Definitions

 Hygroscopic Materials – are substances which are variable in the moisture

content they can h old at different times.

 Bone-dry weight (BDW) – is the final constant weight attained by any

hygroscopic substance after being dried out or no trace of moisture left.

 Regain – the hygroscopic moisture content of a substance expressed as the

ratio of the moisture weight to the bone dry weight.

 Gross weight – expressed as the sum of the moisture weight and bone-dry
weight.

Gross weight = Moisture weight + Bone-dry weight

 Moisture content – expressed as the ratio of the moisture weight to the gross
weight.

Moisture content = Moisture weight / Gross weight

B. Computations and Formulas:

Dryer Diagram

 Gross Weight = Bone-dry Weight + Moisture Weight

GW = BDW + MW

 BDW of entering material = BDW of leaving material

 GWA – MWA = GWB – MWB

 Moisture removed from materials, mR

mR = MWA – MWB

 Moisture removed by air = moisture removed from materials

mA(H4 – H3) = mR = MWA – MWB

mA = MWA – MWB
( H4 – H3 )

where:

MWA = total moisture content at A, kg wv/s

MWB = total moisture content at B, kg wv/s
H4 = moisture content of air leaving dryer, kg wv/kg da
H3 = moisture content of air entering dryer, kg wv/kg da
mA = air mass flow rate, kg dar/s
da= dry air
wv= water vapor

 Considering the air preheater and ms = steam mass flow rate

Heat gained by the air = heat lost by the steam

mA(h2-h1)= mshfg

ms=mA(h2-h1)
hfg

C. Three Methods of drying based on heat transfer

 Direct of convection drying

 Indirect drying
 Infrared or radiant heat drying
D. Types of dryers based on movement of materials

 Continuous dryer
 Batch dryer

E. Types of dryers based on heat source

 Steam heated
 Oil fired, coal fired
 Electric

F. Classification of Dryers

 Rotary Dryer – most commonly used dryer which consists of a rotating cylinder
inside which the materials flow while getting in contact with the hot gases; the
cylinder is tilted at a slight angle and fitted with lifting flights; used for copra, sand,
wood chips.

Rotary Dryer
 Tower Dryer – consist of a vertical shaft in which the wet feed is introduced at the top
and falls downward over baffles while coming in contact with the hot air which rises
and exhausts at the top; used for palay, wheat, grains.
 Tower Dryer

 Hearth Dryer – a type of dryer in which the material to be dried is supported on a

floor through which the hot gases pass; used for copra, coal, enamel wares.

Hearth Dryer

 Centrifugal Dryer – consists of centrifuge revolving at high speeds causing the

separation, by centrifugal force, of the water from the material; used for drying
fertilizer, salt, sugar.
 Centrifugal Dryer

 Tray Dryer – consists of trays, carrying the materials to be dried, placed in

compartment or moving conveyor; used for ipil-ipil leaves, grains.

Tray Dryer

 Infrared Ray Dryer – consists of infrared lamps in which the rays are directed to the
articles to be dried; use for during painted articles like cars.
G. Example problems:

1. A copra drying plant is designed to dry 1000 kg/hr of fresh coconut meat containing
30% water. The raw copra from the dryer contains 5% water. Fresh air at 27C and
40%RH enter the dryer at 98Kpa. The air is heated at 110C before entering the
adiabatic drying chamber and leaves the dryer at a temperature of 75C with a
humidity ratio of 0.02285 Kgwv/Kgda. Assuming 100% heat transfer efficiency in the
air pre-heater, find the amount of steam required by the dryer when condensing
saturated steam to saturated liquid at 150Kpa. Express answer in kg/hr.
2. A rotary dryer is to deliver 1.5 Mtons per hour of copra with moisture content not to
exceed 3%. The wet feed contains 40% moisture. The air enters the dyer with a
humidity ratio of 0.016 kg/kg dry air and leaves at 60°C and 100% RH. If the dyer
operates at atmospheric pressure, determine the amount of wet feed in Mtons per
hour.

H. Problem Set:
 1. A grain dryer consist of a vertical hopper which hot air is blown. The air enters the
base at 1.38 bar, 65C, 50%RH. At the top, saturated air is discharged into the
atmospheric at 1.035 bar, 60C. Estimate the moisture pickup by 1 kg of dry air, and
the total enthalpy change between the entering and leaving streams expressed per
unit mass of dry air. Ans. 0.0864 KJ/Kg air, 220 KJ/Kg air
2. Saturated air at 21C is passed through a drier so that its final RH is 20%. The dryer
uses silica gel adsorbent. The air is then passed through a cooler until its final
temperature is 21C without a change in specific humidity. Find out (a) the
temperature of air at the end of the drying process, (b) the heat rejected in KJ/Kg da
during the cooling process, (c) the relative humidity at the end of the cooling process,
(d) the dew point temperature at the end of the drying process, and (e) the moisture
removed during the drying process in Kg wv/ Kg da.

I. DESIGN OF MECHANICAL DRYER

 Design a mechanical dryer to dry either fish or grain.
 Capacity of the dryer ranges from 4 kg for fish or 5 sacks of palay.
 The dryer must be naturally draft and solar heated.

The design must follow the format stated below.