Kinetic model for osmotic dehydration and its relationship with Fick's second law

Abstract

Summary A two‐parameter equation was developed from mass balance considerations and used to predict the kinetics of osmotic dehydration and the final equilibrium point. The model was tested using kinetic data from ten different experiments and was able to predict water loss and solids gained over long periods of drying. The final equilibrium point was estimated using data obtained during a relatively short period of time. Simple equations were obtained when the model was related to Fick's second law for non‐steady one‐dimensional diffusion through a thin slab, and apparent diffusion coefficients were readily estimated from these equations.