Presentation of a test rig with its experimental procedure and uncertainty analysis of measurements for batch type fluidized bed drying of corn and unshelled pistachio nut

Abstract

This paper gives the hardware and software of a test rig with its experimental procedure, methodology and uncertainty analyses of measurements for batch type fluidized bed drying of corn and unshelled pistachio nut. The test rig is designed, constructed and operated for the analyses of drying performance of corn and unshelled pistachio nut in a batch type fluidized bed drying. The details of the test rig, the experimental procedure, the uncertainty analyses and the investigation of the effects of drying parameters on drying performance are the major scope of the paper. The accuracy of the experimental study herein is based on velocity, pressure, temperature and moisture measurements. Therefore it is vital and sensitive phenomenon for the determination of the uncertainties of the measurements before the current study as is the case with all other studies. The test rig is designed and constructed in accordance with literature review which is mentioned briefly in this paper. The basic terminology which is used in this study is also introduced herein. The overall uncertainties of velocity, pressure, temperature and moisture measurements are performed and found as 1.7%, 1.3%, 0.3% and 1.6%, respectively. Some pioneering studies related on conventional batch type fluidized bed dryers operated under atmospheric pressure are also tabulated as an original contribution to literature. Moreover, the effects of the particle mass, drying air temperature and drying air velocity on drying performance of the batch type fluidized bed dryer which is assisted with a conventional electrical heater unit are outlined without going into details in thermo- and fluid-dynamics of drying process.