Qualitative Aspects of Convective and Microwave Drying of Saturated Porous Materials

Abstract

The differences in distribution and temporal evolution of temperature, moisture content, and drying stresses in saturated capillary-porous materials by convective and microwave drying are analyzed. The analysis is based on the mechanistic model of drying taking into account the coupling effects in the heat and mass transfer. The results of numerical simulation allow better understanding of the difference in thermal and mechanical behavior of dried materials to which the energy necessary for drying is supplied volumetrically (microwave drying) or through the material surface (convective drying). The study is carried out on an isotropic cylinder as a model material.

Keywords:

• Thermomechanical model
• Microwave drying
• Convective drying
• Distributions of temperature, moisture content and stresses
• Kaolin
• Cylindrical sample

Acknowledgment

  This work was carried out as a part of the research project No 7 T09C 035 21 sponsored by the Polish State Committee for Scientific Research.