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After the harvesting, algae needs to be dried for further processes. By drying or dehydration, the
algal biomass is converted to a stable storable product. Dehydration poses a problem of major
economic importance in that it may constitute 70-75% of the processing cost. The various
systems for drying differ both in the extent of capital investment and in the energy requirement.
There are various techniques for drying- Flash drying, rotary dryers, toroidal dryer, spray dryer
etc. Selection of the drying method depends on the scale of operation and also the use for which
the dried product is intended. Generally for drying of algae rotary dryer is preferred.
Rotary Dryer- The rotary drier is basically a cylinder, inclined slightly to the horizontal, which
may be rotated, or the shell may be stationary, and an agitator inside may revolve slowly. In
either case, the wet material is fed in at the upper end, and the rotation, or agitation, advances the
material progressively to the lower end, where it is discharged.
Working principle of Rotary DryerMaterial to be dried enters the dryer, When the dryer is rotating, a series of internal fins will lift
the material by lining the inner wall of the dryer. When the material reaches certain height to roll
the fins back, it will be fell back to the bottom of the dryer, then passing through the hot gas
stream as it falls. This gas stream can either move toward the discharge end from the feed end
(known as co-current flow), or toward the feed end from the discharge end (known as countercurrent flow).
Designing of Rotary Dryer- here is the calculation for the counter-current rotary dryer
Feed inlet flow rate- 10,000lb/hr
Moisture content in outlet- 5%
Inlet temperature of feed- 40C
thus W = 368.42lb/hr
Where
WG = Humidity of air at temperature tG , WH = Humidity of air at temperature tw
tG = temperature of inlet air, tw = wet bulb temperature, hG /(m PkG) = 0.26 for air at tw.
Now lets assume wet bulb temperature is 90C = 194F so WH = 0.046
WG WH = 0.044
= [0.26(356 194)/547.3] = 0.076
so > WG WH
Therefore the assumed temperature is high. For another trial we assume wet bulb temperature
160F.
For it WH = 0.071, WG WH = 0.089
= [0.26(356 160)/529] = 0.096
Therefore the assumed wet bulb temperature is true
Calculation of the outlet air temperature- Empirically it is found that the drier operates
economically when total number of transfer units (NTU) is between 1.5 to 2.5
NTU = ln[(tg1 tw)/(tg2 tw )] we take NTU = 2.5
After putting all the values of parameters
Temperature of the outlet air (tg2) = 176.09F
(1)
Calculation of the mean temperature difference across Rotary DryerLet Qp = Heat required to preheat the feed from inlet to wet bulb temperature.
Qs = Heat required to heat product from wet bulb temperature to discharge
Temperature.
Qv = Heat required to evaporate water at wet bulb temperature.
Preheating periodQp = 7000*0.71( 160 104) + 3000*1(160 104) = 4.4*105 Btu/hr
Change in air temperature = 4.4*105(356 176)/10.2*105 = 77.64 F
Hence air temperature at the end of preheat = 253.64F
(T)P = [176 104] [253.64 160]/ln(0.76) = 80.14F
Heating periodQs = 7000*0.71( 266.5 160) + 500( 106.5)
Qs = 5.8*105 Btu/hr
Change in air temperature = 102.35F
Air temperature at the start of heating = 356 102.35 = 253.64F
(T)s = 116.66F
Evaporating periodQv = 10.2*105 Qs Qp = 4.8*105
(T)v = 118.24F
Qt = 1.5*106
Putting all the values of qp, qs, qv and (T)v, (T)s, (T)P we get
(T)m = 121.24F
Calculation for the diameter of the dryerThe Design of the drier depends majorly on the amount of air entering the drier and the velocity
with which it enters the drier. below is the calculation for required air.
We take average humid heat = 0.25
Gs (Humid heat of air)*(Temp difference) = Total Heat
Total heat = 10.2*105 Btu/hr
from eq. 1
D = 7.34ft = 2.23 m.
Calculation of the overall heat transfer coefficient (Ua)From the empirical relation between Ua, diameter of the dryer(D) and maximum superficial air
mass velocity(GG)
Ua = 15(GG)0.16/D
where GG = 600 lb/hr-ft2,
D = 7.34ft
Ua = 5.68 Btu/hr-ft3-F
Q = UaSZ(T)m
References1. Jordan Konidis Design of direct heated Rotary Dryers university of montreal, March
1984.
2. Sloan, C.E. , Wheelock, T.D. and Tsoa, G.T. Drying in chemical engineering, June,
1967.
3. George D. Saravacos, Athanasios E. Handbook of Food Processing Equipment 355359 pg.
4. Belcher, D.W., Cook, Dittman Drying equipment, Chemical engineering, January 17,
1977.
Submitted by
Dheeraj Kumar Rathore
2010CH10074