HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER

PROBSET

TOPIC
DRYING

1. The experimental average dif=fusion coefficient of moisture in a given wood is

(3.20 x h). Large planks of wood 25.4 mm thick are dried from both sides
by air having a humidity such that the equilibrium moisture content in the wood is X* = 0.04 kg
HO/kg dry wood. The wood is to be dried from a total average moisture content of Xn = 0.29 to
X1 = 0.09. Calculate the time needed.

Solution:

The free moisture content

X1 = Xn - X* = 0.29 - 0.04 = 0.25
X = X, - X* = 0.09 - 0.04 = 0.05

The half-slab thickness .

Substituting

30.8h Ans

2.) An insoluble crystalline solid wet with water is placed in a rectangular pan 0.7 m (2.3 ft) by
0.7 m and 25 mm (1 in) deep, made of 0.8-mm-thick( 1/32-in) galvanized iron. The pan is placed
in an airstream at 65°C, humidity 0.01 kg water/kg dry air, flowing parallel to the upper and
lower surface at a velocity of 3 m/s (10 ft/s). The top surface of the solid is in direct sight of
steam-heated pipes whose surface temperature is 120°C (248°F), at a distance from the top
surface of 100 mm (4 in).

(a) Estimate the rate of drying at constant rate.

(b) Re-estimate the rate if the pan is thoroughly heat-insulated and there is no radiation
from the steam pipes.
SOLUTION

(a) Y= 0.01 kg water/ kg dry air, tG = 65°c. The humid volume of the air is

[ ]

Estimated

Take the emissivity of the solid . Tentatively

estimate ts at 38 °C, Ts = 38 +273= 311

Take Am = A = (0.7) 2 + 0.49 m2 .The area of the side of the pan = 4(0.7)(0.025) =0.07m2 and
Au = (0.7)2 + 0.07 = 0.56m2 for bottom and sides (this method of including heat transfer through
the sides is admittedly an oversimplification but adequatefor present purposes) Thermal
conductivities are kM = 45 for the metal of the pan and ks =3.5 for the wet solid [ ], both as
W/ m . The latter value must be carefully chosen, and it may bear no simple relation to the
conductivity of either the dry solid or its moisture, zs = 0.025 m, zm =0.0008m

The humid heat of the air is Cs = 1005 + 1884(0.01) = 1023.8, and latent heat Ts , at the
estimated 38°C is 2411.4 kJ/kg.

( )
This reduces to Ys= 0.0864 - 10.194 X 104 ts, which must be solved simultaneously with the
saturated-humidity curve of the psychrometric chart for air-water vapor. The line marked a on

The above expression, which intersects the saturated-humidity curve at Y, - 0.0460, 1, - 39°C,
the surface temperature, which is sufficiently close to the 38°C estimated previously to make
iteration unnecessary. At 39°C, latent heat at Ts=2409.77 kJ/kg

Ans

and the evaporation rate is (7.85 x 10-4)(0.49) kg/s or 3.06 lb/h.

(b) When no radiation or conduction of heat through the solid occurs, the drying surface assumes
the wet-bulb temperature of the air. For the system air-water at this humidity, the adiabatic-
saturation lines of the psychrometric chart serve as wet-bulb lines, and on Figure, line b is the
adiabatic-saturation line through the point representing the air (tG= 65°C, Y = 0.01). The line
intersects the saturation-humidity curve at the wet-bulb condition, ts =28.5°C, Ys = 0.025. At this
temperature, latent heat at Ts=2435.0 kJ/kg.

Ans

and the evaporation rate is (3.28x 10-4 )(0.49) = 1.609 x 10-4 kg/s or 1.277 lb/h.