PNEUMATIC SUSPENSION DRYING: MODELING AND COMPUTATIONAL SIMULATION

ABSTRACT

This paper presents an alternative method for drying suspensions, which consists in wetting inert polypropylene particles with suspension and drying these wet particles while they are pneumatically transported with hot air or combustion gases. A mathematical model was developed to simulate the drying process and the pneumatic transport. Experimental work was carried out in a pilot pneumatic dryer, using polypropylene particles like inert transport phase to verify these models. Apple pulp maltodextrine mixtures was dried and the results confirm the technical feasibility of the proposed technology.

Key Words:

• Mass transfer
• Diffusion
• Apple pulp drying.