Drying

It is defined as “the removal of small amounts of water or other

liquid from a material by the application of heat.” It also includes
removal of volatile liquids or water from another liquid or gas or
a Suspension.

Drying is possible when the environment is unsaturated with the

water vapour. Hence humidity is an important determinant for
drying of solids.
 Mechanism of Drying
Drying involves two processes –

Heat Transfer

It takes place from the heating medium to the solid ; except in dielectric or
high frequency electric drying, where heat is generated within the solid &
flows to exterior surface.

Mass Transfer

It involves movement of the moisture to the surface of the solid & its
subsequent evaporation from the surface. The transfer of vapors from the
surface to the surrounding is affected by external conditions like
temperature, humidity, air flow rate, pressure & evaporating surface
exposed.
HEAT TRANSFER

 Heatmust be transferred to the material to be dried in order to

supply the latent heat required for the vaporization of moisture.

 Heating source may be flame, steam, hot gas, hot air etc.
 HEAT TRANSFER MECHANISMS

Heat may be transferred

in the following ways:

1. Conduction
2. Convection
3. Radiation
 HEAT TRANSFER BY CONDUCTION

Transfer of heat between

substances that are in
direct contact with each
other. It is an indirect
process.
 ADVANTAGES OF CONDUCTION

✓ It is a very simple method

✓ Cheap and rapid drying process

✓ The wet material does not come in direct contact with heat
 DRAWBACKS OF CONDUCTION

 Heat distribution is uneven

 Stirring of material is required during drying

 Compact materials require preliminary granulation

 HEAT TRANSFER BY CONVECTION

A heating process by which heat

from the source is directly applied
to the solid-liquid mixture thorough
a media.

 Theheating media may be hot air

or hot gas.
 ADVANTAGES OF CONVECTION

✓ It is a simple method

✓ More uniform distribution of heat occurs

✓ Prompt drying is obtained

✓ Control of heat is easier

 DRAWBACKS OF CONVECTION

 Fixing of temperature is essential.

 Product loss may occur if a stirring device is maintained.

 HEAT TRANSFER BY RADIATION

 Theprocess of heating where

radiant energy is used as heating
source.

 Usually infrared radiation is used.

 ADVANTAGES OF RADIATION

✓ It is a unique process where drying period is short

✓ Heating source can easily be stopped

 DRAWBACKS OF RADIATION

▪ It is very expensive

▪ Stirring is required for even drying

▪ Worker safety problems

 DRYING BY MASS TRANSFER

 Whenheat is applied to the wet material, water is removed from

the material as vapor. This is called mass transfer.

 Mass transfer involves the diffusion of water from the interior to the
evaporating surface and subsequent evaporation of water from
the surface to the passing air stream.
 MASS TRANSFER MECHANISMS

Mass transfer occurs by two mechanisms:

1. Internal mechanisms

2. External mechanisms
 INTERNAL MECHANISMS OF MASS TRANSFER

1. Diffusion
It is an important mechanism by which water is transferred through the material
to evaporating surface & the resulting vapor is transferred to the passing air
stream.

2. Flow caused by shrinkage & pressure gradients

On heating when water is removed, the pores become empty and solid
particles take the empty place and the solid shrinks. When particles shrink, a
tremendous pressure acts on the squeezed surface and the surface
becomes cracked. So hot air or heat reaches quickly in the inner area and
the drying rate is enhanced.
 INTERNAL MECHANISMS OF MASS TRANSFER
3. Gravity
The moisture content of a wet solid is gravitationally pulled downward and
tends to accumulate beneath the lower surface of the solid particles. Water
comes downwards through the inner capillaries.
4. Vaporization condensation sequence

• When heat is applied, the water from the surfaces of the solid granules becomes
vaporized and it tries to expel out but fails to do so because the surface is rigid.

• This trapped moisture is condensed when comes in contact with relatively less
heated area.

• Again heat is applied to vaporize the moisture and a series of vaporization-

condensation sequence occurs until finally the vapor comes out.
 INTERNAL MECHANISMS OF MASS TRANSFER

5. Capillary flow:

 When capillary tube is immersed into water, water enters into it and climbs up to a
height, which is due to surface tension and capillary action.

 In this case, inner moisture expels out through the continuous intermolecular space of
the granular particles due to surface tension capillary action.
 EXTERNAL MECHANISMS OF MASS TRANSFER

1. Temperature:
 The rate of drying is directly proportional to the temperature.
 In higher temperature rapid drying occurs. But excess heat can hamper the
stability of the product, especially for the thermo labile ones.

2. Humidity:

Rate of drying is inversely proportional to humidity of surrounding area.

If the surrounding area is saturated with moisture, application of even higher

temperature dose not influences drying. i.e. less humid or less saturated area
is needed for better drying.
 EXTERNAL MECHANISMS OF MASS TRANSFER

3. Agitation:

 Agitation of material from time to time enhances evaporating by bringing the

unexposed area of the particle to heat contact.
 Otherwise some particles will remain wet & some will be burnt.
 Adequate mechanical agitation enhances drying through a uniform heat
distribution.
 EXTERNAL MECHANISMS OF MASS TRANSFER

4. Method of supporting the solid:

 The different types of dryer support the materials in different ways and mechanism
of applying heat is different.
 Metallic tray is preferable to others because it can be sufficiently hot which will
facilitate drying process.
 The relative drying capacity of different types of beds is:
Dilute bed > Fluidized bed > Moving bed > Static bed.
 EXTERNAL MECHANISMS OF MASS TRANSFER

5. State of subdivision:

If the particles are more subdivided, the surface areas are increased &
more surfaces are exposed to heat, thus drying occurs rapidly.

6. Nature of the particle:

Porous particles are easier to dry but fibrous materials take longer time to dry.
 EXTERNAL MECHANISMS OF MASS TRANSFER

7. Vacuum:

Thermo labile substances are efficiently dried by creating vacuum with low temperature.

8. Others:
Contact between hot surface and wet solid
Bulk of the material
Period of drying
Heating time