Development of Drying Process Combining Hot Air with Drying Cyclone for High Moisture Content Materials

Abstract

This research presented the drying method which combined flowing hot air with drying cyclone for continuous production process development. Drying products are focused on the crushed durian peel to use as raw material in Carboxymethyl cellulose production and shredded coconut to offer alternative method instead the conventional production, which roasted by hot pan. An experimental was conducted from designed and fabricated drying process system, which employed centrifugal blower to generate air flow and electric heater as a heat source. Continuous feeding rate of fresh durian peel and coconut was maintained at 200 g/min, and 15 rounds of feeding have been tested. Air temperatures at 70ºC, 80ºC, and 90ºC and air velocities at 25.7 m/s, 32 m/s, and 38 m/s were tested. Experimental results founded that air temperature enhancement had more influenced on the rounds feeding than those air velocity factor. For temperature at 90ºC and velocity at 38 m/s, drying rate represented the highest value. All experimental results could be concluded that the proposed development method that employed hot air with drying cyclone had an ability to dry the durian peel and to roast coconut as continuous production instead the convention method.