Development of a Visual Method to Test the Range of Applicability of Thin Layer Drying Equations Using MATLAB Tools

Abstract

Thin-layer drying equations are important in crop drying simulations. Various drying theories based on semi empirical Newton model or diffusion model are employed to predict crop drying. The Page model that is an empirical variation of Newton model has gained popularity due to its simple form yet robustness. The drying equations summarized in the revised ASAE standards S448 are mostly based on Page's model. The MATLAB based software TLDRY is developed to examine the range of applicability of equations in ASAE S 448 and a number of other thin layer drying equations found in literature. The software proved to be a convenient tool to identify the range of applicability of and potential uncertainties for these equations.

Keywords:

• Thin layer drying
• Simulation
• MATLAB