Deep bed peanut drying using Hukill’s Analysis

Abstract

A simple model based on Hukill’s Analysis was used in the simulation of deep bed drying of peanuts at various drying conditions. The model was first evaluated using published drying data and then actual drying experiments at different conditions. The results showed that the simulation model could adequately describe the deep bed drying of peanuts.

The effects of bed initial and final moisture contents, drying temperature, air humidity, airflow and bed depth on the drying time and moisture content of various layers within the bed of peanut pods were evaluated using the simulation model.

Drying temperature had the most significant effect on drying time followed by bed initial moisture content, bed final moisture content, air humidity, airflow and bed depth, respectively. As drying temperature, bed final moisture content and airflow increased, the drying time decreased. Conversely, as the bed initial moisture content, air humidity and bed depth increased, the drying time also increased.

The bed final moisture content had the greatest effect on the bottom, middle and top layer moisture of peanut pods among the factors studied. The lower the bed final moisture content, drying temperature, bed initial moisture content, bed depth and air humidity, the lower the moisture difference between the bottom and top layers. Conversely, the lower the airflow, the higher the moisture difference between the bottom and top layers.