Kinetics of Microwave Vacuum Drying of “Cat Chu” Mango in Mekong Delta - Vietnam

Abstract

Microwave vacuum drying is one of innovative drying techniques that is today used in drying of foods, medical products and other high quality products. In this drying technology, heat is generated by directly transforming the electromagnetic energy into kinetic molecular energy of water, thus the heat is produced deep within the material to be dried under vacuum environment. This paper presents the results of research on microwave vacuum drying of “Cat Chu” mango in Mekong Delta – Vietnam. “Cat Chu” mango, with moisture content of (80 ± 1) % (wet basis - wb), was sliced into 5 cm thickness, and was dried in mWaveVac0150-lc dryer (Püschner - Germany). The drying vacuum was from 60 to 120 mbar. Three levels of microwave power were established: the first phase from 600 to 800 W, the second phase from 300 to 500 W, the last one from 150 to 250 W. The control sample was dried by convective drying method at 60 °C; and vacuum drying at 70 mbar, 60 °C. The results of this research showed that high quality product in terms of color, surface shrinkage and structure was obtained by microwave vacuum drying. The drying time was about 45 min, 450 min and 870 min with microwave vacuum drying, vacuum drying and convective hot-air drying, respectively. In addition, Fick’s equation and Crank’s solution were applied to analyze and calculate the accessibility and diffusion coefficient of microwave vacuum drying process. Starting accessibility of process was significantly increased; the diffusivity obtained was within a range from 6.44*10-10 m2/s to 16.16*10-10 m2/s. The results also indicated that there was a higher exchange in surface and a greater internal diffusion of experimental microwave vacuum drying samples compared to the control vacuum and hot-air drying samples.