International Journal of Agricultural Sciences

International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN: 2167-0447 Vol. 5 (3), pp. 461-471, May, 2015. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Modelling of drying pattern of cassava chips at different air velocity and temperature using fluidizied bed dryer

Famurewa J.A.V and Emuekele P. O.

Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology, Akure , Nigeria.

*Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

This study investigated the drying kinetics of cassava chips using fluidized bed dryer with a view to predicting the most suitable drying model for the drying of cassava (TMS30572 and TMS98/0581). The experiment was carried out using a 4x4x2 factorial;  ( air velocities,   air temperatures, and varieties of cassava) with three replications for each treatment..   Fresh cassava tubers were peeled, washed, drained and chipped using manual slicer.  A 100 g of the wet chips was then subjected to drying using pre heated fluidized bed drier at a specific temperature and varied air velocity.  The change in mass was recorded at constant time interval of 20 minutes until constant weight was achieved Twelve different mathematical drying models were fitted to the experimental data of the moisture ratio against the time using nonlinear regression analysis by Sigma Plot 10.0 and Microsoft Excel (2010). The models were compared based on their coefficients of determination (R²), reduced chi-squares (χ²), root mean square errors (RMSE), and mean bias error (MBE).   Modified Henderson and Pabis model was found to be the best mathematical model for describing the drying kinetics of cassava chips for TMS30572 and TMS98/0581 respectively having  highest value of R², least values of χ², RMSE and MBE.  

Key words: Cassava, fluidized bed dryer, modeling, drying.