Abstract:
This work
presents
d
mathematical model of gari drying
in which diffusion of
water, moisture evaporation, heat and mass transfer through tile porous solids were
taken into consideration. Several tests were run using a Laboratory-size dryer for data
acquisition with different initial moisture contents of the cassava mash and the drying
time monitored.
TIle effect of,stlch)factors'as
~-
...
- -
fryer temperature
initial moisture content (Mo)' mash initial weiuh! (WI ),
!i
~
(TP) , mash thickness
~
I
•
(L), and final moisture content (M )
f
were
related rnathernaticaljy to tile total time of gad flying (1'1').
A computer program was written in FORTRAN LANGUAGE to generate a drying
model that was used to formulate appropriate equation for the drying process. Detailed
theoretical study of the heat and mass transfer of cassava mash during drying were
made and the results showed that drying of gari involved both the constant and falling
rate drying phenomena. Microsoft Excel 7.0 Statistical package software was used to
analyse the results of the model.
All tile measured parameters that is, mash initial moisture content, mash
initial weight, trough temperture,mash thickness and the final moisture content have a
strong correlation
(.1{2 == OJH)
with the total time of frying ('1T). The mash
thickness (L) has the greatest effect on the time of flying. A multiple regression was
done to develop the relationship between the total drying tiruef'Tf) as a dependent:
variable and initial moisture content (MJ, initial weight(W TcJ, fryer's
temperature(TP), mash ti1ickness(L), and flnalmoisture
variables.
...•
content(M F) as independent
