Finite Element Simulation of Rough Rice Kernel (Oryza sativa L.) cv. Fajer Drying

Abstract

This study was conducted to present a mathematical model with numerical solutions to predict the mass distributions inside a cross sectional area of an individual Fajer variety of rough rice (Oryza Sativa L.) kernel as a function of drying time considering the effects of coupled heat and mass transfer processes. The modified Luikov's equation was used for the simulation of drying kinetics of a single rough rice grain. The applied drying models with simultaneous heat and mass diffusion in biological materials were developed by finite element method. A finite element formulation and solution of a set of nonlinear coupled conductive heat and diffusive moisture transfer equation to improve grain drying simulation of axisymmetric bodies is presented. Axisymmetric linear triangular elements with two degrees of freedom per node were used to discretize the rice grain. Moisture distribution inside the individual rough rice kernel was produced by the model. Good agreement was observed when the output of nonlinear model was compared to experimental data.