Author(s) :

S. K. Shittu, T. O. Timothy.

Volume/Issue :

Abstract :

In this study, drying characteristics of baobab leave was experimentally investigated under the temperature levels of 40, 50, 60 and 70°C. The experiments were carried out so as to know the variation in moisture content of baobab leaves as a function of drying time at different temperature levels. Drying parameters that include effective diffusivity, diffusion coefficient and activation energy of baobab leaves were determined. Experimental data were fitted to existing moisture ratio models. Results show that, it took 340 min to dry baobab samples at a drying temperature of 40 °C, 160 min at 50 °C, 100 min at 60 °C and 80 min for 70 °C. Effective diffusivity of baobab leaves ranged 4.0528×10^(-13) to 1.1753×10^(-11) m^2/s within drying temperature of 40-70 oC. Diffusion coefficient and activation energy of the baobab leaves were found to be 2.290×10^(-11) m^2/s and 106.95 kJ/mol, respectively. Values of R2, RMSE and Chi-Square of all the models fitted varied between 0.717-0.997, 0.0171– 0.2893 and 0.0003–0.1046 respectively. Logarithmic model has the highest R2 and lowest RMSE and Chi-Square values. It can therefore be concluded that the Logarithmic model could sufficiently define the thin layer drying of baobab leaves.

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