Energy consumption during convection drying of stone fruits in chamber driers

Abstract

The transfer of moisture from the material by heated agent to the surroundings during the contact of wet material and agent represents the process of convection drying. Drying of fruits as types of plant and thermally sensitive materials represents a very complex thermal-technical process that engages a high quantity of thermal energy in the first place. Technical parameters of the system and thermal-physical properties of the material define the energy balance of the drying process in terms of quantity. In addition to thermal energy, the drying process engages other forms of energy, most frequently electrical energy. The type of engaged energy during the drying process is conditioned by the structural design of the device and the process management method. This paper presents the results of experimental testing of energy consumption during plum drying by applying technical systems that based on their design use ecologically “clean” forms and renewable energy sources. The obtained results show the consump tion of certain forms of energy per unit of quantity of the dried product, which repre sents specific consumption.