Thin layer drying characteristics of carrot and modeling the microwave drying process

Autor/autori: Soner ÇELEN, Ahmet DURAK, Ugur AKYOL, Aytaç MORALAR


Abstract: In this study, carrot slices at different thicknesses (4mm, 7mm and 10 mm) were dried using a microwave conveyor belt dryer. The effect of microwave power (1.05kW, 1.5kW and 2.1kW) and conveyor belt speed (0.175m/min and 0.245m/min) on some drying characteristics (drying rate, drying time, moisture content) of carrot was investigated. According to the obtained results, color change (the quality criteria), energy consumption, optimum conveyor belt speed and drying power were determined. Afterwards, some drying models available in the literature were compared with each other to determine the moisture content of the products at a specific time. Also, the artificial neural network method was used to predict the moisture content of the products.

Keywords: microwave conveyor dryer, carrot, moisture content, color analysis.

 

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