Studies on the Through-Flow Drying of Tea (Part 1)

Abstract

1. Through-flow drying method was tested if it is more useful for tea drying than the usual method.2. The qualities of teas dried by both processes showed no significant difference between each other.3. The qualities of teas dried on the upper or the lower parts of packed bed by throughflow drying were compared. When the tea was dried under condition of 70 mm. thickness of piling, the qualities of tea at the lower part were inferior to those of the upper, but under condition of 50 mm. or 30 mm. thickness, the qualities of teas showed no significant difference:4. Drying rate curves of both processes were investigated under such conditions as air velocity 0.6 m./sec., air temperature 90°C.. and thickness of bed 20 tmm. The curves were shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Rate of through-flow drying was about 20-folds equivalent to that of the usual drying within the experimental conditions.