Abstract:
A cabinet drier with dimensions 0.82m x O.4Sm x 0.S2m, having four trays and
capable of drying 4kg of palm kernel per hour was constructed. Using electrical heating,
hot air is produced and allowed to flow through the product in order to remove the
moisture. The drier is heavily lagged to conserve heat. Type k thermocouple was
constructed and used to monitor the temperature. The electronic instrumentation section of
the drier has a digital display unit that allows the temperature of the drying chamber to be
read. A control circuit for regulating and presetting the temperature of the drier was also
developed. This permits the temperature of the drying chamber to be fixed between
ambient temperature and 100°C. This drier was found to work satisfactorily, achieving
complete drying of the nuts within the temperature range of 800C to 1000C under 60minutes
of its operation without discoloration of the kernels or the resultant extracted oil.
It is also suitable for drying several agricultural products under varying temperature
condition.
