Thin-Layer Drying of Flax Fiber: I. Analysis of Modeling Using Fick's Second Law of Diffusion

Abstract

Thin-layer drying of moist flax fiber was performed at four temperatures of 30, 50, 70, and 100°C with a constant absolute humidity of 0.0065 kg water per kg dry air. The coefficients of diffusion of the fiber at different drying conditions were estimated by modeling the drying process using the one- to five-term solutions of the second Fick's law of diffusion. The models underestimated the drying process during the initial stages of drying and overestimated this process during the final stages. The estimated coefficient of diffusions ranged from 5.11 × 10⁻⁹ to 1.92 × 10⁻⁸ m²/s and linearly increased with the drying air temperature.

Keywords:

• Coefficient of diffusion
• Drying
• Flax fiber
• Thin-layer