Modelling Diffusion-Limited Drying Behaviour in a Batch Fluidized Bed Dryer

Abstract

ABSTRACT Fluidized bed dryers are often used to extract water from granular materials. When the drying process is mainly limited by the resistance against water transport inside the particle the drying behaviour is said to be diffusion-limited. In the literature there are several models that predict this drying process with very diverging results. In this study a model is set up to arrive at a better prediction for this drying process. The heat and mass transfer in the granular material and the drying air is described. The resulting equations are solved numerically. The model must be extended to incorporate the heat capacity of the dryer.