Drying Characteristics and Moisture Diffusivity of Distillers' Spent Grains Dried in Superheated Steam

Abstract

Distillers' spent grain pellets were prepared from material with an initial moisture content of 25% (wb). These pellets were dried in pairs using superheated steam at 120°C in two orientations, horizontal and vertical. The drying characteristics, modeled by the Page equation, showed that there was a significant difference between orientations. The overall moisture diffusivity was calculated using a finite cylinder model based on Fick's law of diffusion accounting for a change in dimensions over the course of drying. The overall diffusivity values ranged from 4.08 × 10⁻¹⁰ to 1.48 × 10⁻⁸ m²/s.

Keywords:

• Distillers' spent grain
• Finite cylinder
• Moisture diffusivity
• Superheated steam