Drying Rate Period Research Articles

Comparative study of modelling, drying kinetics and specific energy consumption of desiccated coconut during convective and infrared drying

White coconut shreds were dried in this study utilizing convective (CD) and infrared (IR) drying methods to produce desiccated coconuts. The drying duration, drying rate, effective moisture diffusivity, activation energy, and specific energy consumption of desiccated coconuts were examined and compared between convective and infrared drying. The experiments were carried out at three levels of air temperatures (50, 60 and 70°C) for convective drying and the same heating temperature was used for infrared drying. Air velocity of (1.5, 2.3 and 3.0 m/s) was supplied at every temperature for both drying methods. In order to determine the ideal model for desiccated coconuts, six mathematical models were fitted to both drying techniques with the Page model providing a better fit than other models in all drying parameter ranges. Experimental drying curves displayed only a falling drying rate period. The experimental findings demonstrated that drying temperature, air velocity, and drying techniques had a substantial impact on drying kinetics. The highest effective moisture diffusivity value of desiccated coconuts was 1.66×10-9 m 2 /s at 70°C and 3.0 m/s and 2.79×10-9 m 2 /s at 70°C and 1.5 m/s from convective and infrared drying, respectively. For convective and infrared drying, respectively, the specific energy consumption varied from 64.80 to 112.54 kWh/kg and 18.68 to 37.72 kWh/kg. The drying time between convective and infrared drying was inversely influenced by higher air velocity at the same temperature. Air velocity had a substantial effect during infrared drying whereby the activation energy of 9.42 kJ/mol was the lowest at 2.3 m/s. Infrared drying proved to have a better synergistic effect by providing a higher drying rate and effective moisture diffusivity with the shortest drying time when compared to convective drying.

Dehydration of tomato peels and seeds as affected by the temperature

SummaryAn empirical model was developed for dehydrating tomato's peels and seeds (TPS) at three different temperatures (i.e. 50 °C, 60 °C and 70 °C). The model assumes that there is an initial constant drying rate period (first stage) followed by a decreasing drying rate period (second stage). To assess the goodness of fitting procedure, the mean relative deviation modulus was calculated. Results indicate that the model can adequately describe the dehydration data. The robustness of the model was further tested by evaluating the dependence of model parameters on the temperature, using an Arrhenius‐type equation. Recorded findings show that model parameters changed with the temperature, thus confirming that the proposed model can be advantageously used to describe the dehydration kinetic of TPS. The influence of TPS dehydration on temperature was also assessed by calculating the dehydration rate as function of TPS water content. Results demonstrate that the dehydration rate increases as the testing temperature increases too. In both drying stages, the difference between the dehydration rate at 50 °C and the one at the other two temperatures is more marked.

Drying kinetics modeling of hot air drying of emulsion templated oleogels employing hydroxypropyl methylcellulose as structuring agent

This work focused on the drying of O/W emulsions employed to obtain templated structured oils with hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) as oleogelator. Sunflower oil/water emulsions with different HPMC content (1%–3% w/w) were dried at different air temperatures (from 70 to 100 °C) employing two different initial thicknesses (0.25 and 0.50 cm). Drying kinetics showed the existence of an initial constant drying rate period followed by a falling drying rate period below critical moisture content. This critical content was constant (0.38 kg water/kg dry solid) independently of drying conditions and HPMC content. Drying rate decreased linearly with moisture content during the falling rate periods. A 3-parameter model was proposed to simulate drying kinetics in the range of drying temperature and HPMC content of tested oleogels. Physical properties of fresh and stored (20 days) oleogels such as oil binding capacity, color, and hardness were measured to evaluate drying conditions effect on product quality. Temperatures above 70 °C were necessary to promote the HPMC gelation. Best characteristics of oleogels in terms of texture, color and oil binding capacity were obtained with HPMC content of 2% w/w, 0.25 cm of emulsion thickness and 80 °C of drying temperature. These results are useful for the design of large-scale dryers for this new kind of products.

Mathematical modelling of the drying characteristics and economic analysis of Hake fish using Smoking Kiln

Aim: This study aims to provide a detailed assessment on the mathematical modelling of the drying characteristics of Hake Fish using smoking kiln. This will help in the prediction and simulation of the ideal drying circumstances that will preserve quality, and extend the product’s shelf life. Methods: Frozen Hake Fish (15 kg) was procured and transported for further processing at the Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute, Ibadan. Thereafter, Hake Fish was weighed, sorted, washed, brined, and smoke-dried. Triplicate samples were marked out and moisture loss was monitored at intervals during the drying process at temperature ranging from 85 – 115 \\degc, thus, experimental data was generated. The drying data were then fitted into six mathematical models and results were compared using the coefficient of determination (R2) and root mean square error (RMSE), hence, the best model was selected. The parameters of the models were evaluated using non-linear regression analysis. The economic viability of smoke-drying Hake fish was assessed with the application of standard economic assessment tools. Results: The initial and final moisture content of Hake Fish was 233.351 and 4.93% db, respectively. The drying period to achieve the safe moisture content was seven hours. All through the process of drying, no constant drying rate period was discovered as the drying rate curve exhibited a falling rate with drying rate (0.0117±0.0060 kg/h) increasing with increasing temperature. Midilli model gave the best performance in predicting the drying characteristics of Hake Fish using Smoking Kiln. The economic assessment suggests that there is a high profitability for fish processing using improved processing methods. Conclusion: The drying kinetics of Hake Fish can be effectively explained using smoking kiln. The smoking kiln is economically viable. Also, the use of smoking kiln will produce high quality dried product.

Modelling of convective drying of potatoes polyhedrons

Abstract This work aimed to develop numerical models to predict the moisture content and deformation of potato slices during convective drying (40–80 °C, 0.5 m·s−1). Three-dimensional slices were considered in cylindrical, cubic, parallelepiped, and prism geometries. The first classic model coupled the linear constant drying rate period with the analytical solution of Fick’s law in spherical coordinates, evaluating the mass diffusion coefficients (4.2–15.5·10−10 m2·s−1), critical drying time (1640–5085 s), and critical moisture content (1.8–2.4 kg·kg−1). The Finite Element Method (FEM) was a more robust model, that combined momentum and mass transfer to three-dimensional solid deformation of polyhedrons by ALE method, evaluating the mass diffusivity (1.4–6.5·10−10 m2·s−1). The FEM model could predict the shrinkage due to water molar flux removal on moving solid boundaries and explain the pseudo-constant drying rate detected in experimental data. The developed models accurately described the drying of food materials with a high shrinkage ratio.

Single layer drying behaviour of grenade peel in a forced convective solar dryer

Solar drying experiments in thin layer of grenade peel were conducted in forced convection solar dryer consisting of a solar air collector, an auxiliary heater and a drying cabinet. Moreover, grenade peel is sufficiently dried in the ranges of 32 °C to 36 °C of ambient air temperature, 45 to 70 °C of drying air temperature, 32 to 53 % of relative humidity, 0.028 to 0.056 m3s-1 of drying air flow rate and 200 to 950 W/m2 of daily solar radiation. The experimental drying curves show only the falling drying rate period. The main factor in controlling the drying rate was the drying air temperature. The drying rate equation is determined empirically from the characteristic drying curve. Twelve mathematical models were tested to fit the experimental data. The Midilli-Kucuk model was found to satisfactorily describe the solar drying curves.

Heat and mass transfer in vacuum drying process of fructooligosaccharides syrup

Abstract Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) is a functional food additive. FOS syrup produced by biological methods can be easily transported, stored and used after drying. In this study, the effects of operating pressure, heating temperature and initial moisture content of FOS syrup on the drying characteristics during vacuum drying were studied. With a visual system, the state changes of the material during the drying process were recorded. The specific heat, viscosity and thermal conductivity of the FOS at different temperatures and moisture contents were measured. From the perspective of drying characteristics, the whole drying process can be divided into four periods: the increasing drying rate period AB, the first falling drying rate period BC, the second falling drying rate period CD and the third falling drying rate period DE. The heat transfer mode in AB and BC was boiling heat transfer, with the material viscosity less than 267.9 Pa·s. In CD period, the heat transfer mode was convection heat transfer with the material viscosity of 267.9 Pa·s to 501.6 Pa·s. In DE period, the material viscosity was greater than 501.6 Pa·s and did not have fluidity, and the heat transfer mode was heat conduction. A multivariate model for the convection heat transfer coefficient was obtained based on the heat balance. The maximum error between the simulation value by the model and the experimental value of the material moisture content during the vacuum drying process was 4.18 %.

Effective moisture diffusivity prediction in two Portuguese fruit cultivars (Bravo de Esmolfe apple and Madeira banana) using drying kinetics data

Air convective dehydration was performed at various temperatures (35 °C, 40 °C, 45 °C and 50 °C) using two types of fruits cultivars produced in different regions of Portugal: the Bravo de Esmolfe apple, from the Beiras province, and the Cavendish banana, from Madeira Island. The data collected were used to predict the effective moisture diffusion, which is a crucial input parameter in drying modeling and design. As expected, the values obtained in both falling drying rate periods detected for apples increased with an increase in drying temperature. The effective moisture diffusion in apples varied from 1.968 × 10−10 m2 s−1 at 35 °C to 4.013 × 10−10 m2 s−1 at 50 °C, for the first falling drying rate period, and from 0.9567 × 10−10 m2 s−1 at 35 °C to 3.328 × 10−10 m2 s−1 at 50 °C, for the second period. The dependence of effective moisture diffusion on temperature for bananas is similar, ranging from 1.572 × 10−10 to 2.627 × 10−10 m2 s−1 as the drying temperature changed from 35 to 50 °C.

Experimental study and mathematical modelling of convective thin-layer drying of noni (Morinda citrifolia L.)

In this study, the drying kinetics of noni (Morinda citrifolia L.) was investigated in a laboratory tunnel dryer at air temperatures of 50, 60, and 70 °C and velocities of 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 m/s. Noni showed only a falling drying rate period. Further, a non-linear regression procedure was used to determine the characteristic drying curve. The experimental drying data of noni were employed to fit thin-layer models. Under the evaluated experimental conditions, the Page model provided the best representation of thin-layer drying characteristics of noni. The effective moisture diffusivity ranged from 1.77 × 10-7 to 3.33 × 10-7 m2/s. The activation energy was found to be 3.34 kJ/mol.

Effect of Ultrasonic Pretreatment on Radio Frequency Vacuum Drying Characteristics and Quality of Codonopsis pilosula Slices

In this paper, the effects of ultrasonic pretreatment on the drying kinetics, bioactive components (polysaccharides, total phenols, total flavonoids and antioxidant), qualitative characteristics (color index, lobetyolin and syringin) and microstructure of Codonopsis pilosula during radio frequency vacuum drying (RFVD) were studied. The average drying rate curve showed that the whole drying process could be divided into three stages: accelerating period, constant drying rate period and falling drying rate period. Deff values ranged from 6.61425 to 9.46745 × 10−8. Analysis of the drying rate constants revealed that different conditions of pretreatment were effective in increasing the drying rate. Ultrasonic pretreatment has a positive effect on the retention of polysaccharide content; low frequency favors retention of total phenols, flavonoids and syringin; and with the increase in ultrasonic time and ultrasonic power, the antioxidant capacity was higher than that without ultrasonic treatment. Ultrasonic pretreatment significantly improved color and microstructure. In summary, the pretreatment condition of ultrasonic frequency 20 kHz and power 60 W for 30 min is suitable, which provides a certain reference for the application of ultrasonic pretreatment technology in RFVD of Codonopsis pilosula slices.

Suitability of thin-layer drying models for halogen lamp drying of sugarcane bagasse

The drying process of bagasse particles was investigated in this study using an artificial neural network (ANN) and 18 thin-layer drying (TLD) models. These models are used for investigating kinetics and understanding engineering parameters involved in the drying process of food and agricultural products. Bagasse particles were studied at 105 to 135 °C and an initial moisture content of 180% (based on the dry weight) using a halogen moisture analyzer. The results showed that an increase in the temperature decreased the bagasse drying period and increased the constant drying. The whole drying process of bagasse happened in a falling drying rate period. The fitness of drying curves on semi-experimental TLD models based on statistical parameters, including root mean square error (RMSE), sum of square errors (SSE), and coefficient of determination (R2) showed that the Hii et al. model had the highest coefficient of determination and the lowest error percentage. The ANN predicted changes in the bagasse moisture content through time more accurately than the Hii et al model. Also, the results demonstrated that the selected ANN model and a number of semi-empirical models with less than 3 adjustable parameters provided good agreement and can be considered promising tools to predict drying kinetic of bagasse particles.

Drying kinetics and quality aspects of bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) dried in a novel cabinet dryer

An attempt was taken to investigate the effect of drying air temperature and slice thickness on the drying kinetics and quality of bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) dried in a novel cabinet dryer (HSTU Fruit and Vegetable Dryer). Fresh bitter gourd was sorted, cleaned, and sliced at 4 mm, 6 mm, and 8 mm thickness. All the samples were blanched in boiling water at 100°C for 3 mins. Then the slices with an initial moisture content of 96.47±0.6% were dried, spreading as a thin layer in the trays of the cabinet dryer using three drying air temperatures of 60, 70, and 80°C until the desired final moisture content (MC) of 4.66±0.4% was obtained. The results indicated that the shortest drying time (2.08 hrs) was required by the sample of 4 mm thickness, which was dried at 80°C to reduce moisture from 96.47±0.6% initial (wet basis, wb) to 4.66±0.4% final moisture (wb). The sample of 8 mm thickness dried at 60°C took the longest drying time (6.67 hrs). The higher drying rate (34.32 gm H2O/min.cm2 ) was noticed at a constant drying rate period in the case of a 6 mm thick slice at 70°C. Whereas a lower drying rate (9.29 gm H2O/min.cm2 ) was observed for drying 8 mm slices using 60°C air temperature. Even though, the effect of blanching on drying characteristics of bitter gourd was not noticed so much, the drying rate was found to be increased slightly of pretreated bitter gourd thus drying time was shorter. A comparison on colour analysis of both fresh and blanched bitter gourd showed that a 6 mm slice dried at 70°C was found better in retaining green colour than other samples. The rehydration ratio (6.63±0.62) and the percentage of water uptake (86.75±0.58) of rehydrated pretreated bitter gourd were also higher in a dried sample of 6 mm. Therefore, pretreated bitter gourd is suggested to dry quickly using 70oC in a cabinet dryer slicing at 6 mm thickness to obtain a better quality dried product.

Stress development of latex coatings in a convection drying with the accumulation and deformation of polymer particles

In the film formation process of latex paints, polymer particles accumulate and deform with stress relaxation and then coalesce into a continuous film. Our previous studies clarified the differences in particle-packed structure formation between drying temperatures by the accurate measurement of water content. In the present study, we investigate the mechanism of stress development for latex coating from viewpoints of particle accumulation and deformation by the simultaneous measurements of drying stress and water content. When a particle-packed layer forms on the surface side of the coating during the constant drying rate period, it is found that the stress development is proportional to the amount of the packed layer. Even for deformable particles at higher drying temperatures, the proportionality can be held, but the stress relaxation becomes noticeable at a high moisture content exhibiting a gradual decrease in the drying rate. After the complete formation of the closest-packed layer, it is revealed that the shrinkage of the layer causes additional stress development. We then proposed a model where the stress development is described by the shrinkage of the packed layer and the stress relaxation by the temperature dependency of polymer deformability.

Impact of vacuum drying on drying characteristics and functional properties of beetroot (Beta vulgaris)

Beetroot has been considered as an attractive raw material to dehydrate owing to possessing valuable essential nutrients. In the present work, it was appraised whether vacuum drying (VD) could be a proper alternative to freeze-drying (FD). Hence, the impact of both drying techniques on the physicochemical properties, betalainic pigments, antioxidant potential and individual phenolic compounds of beetroot was studied. Vacuum drying kinetics for obtaining the predominant drying rate period of beetroot was also evaluated. Results showed that the increase of temperature conducive to an increase of drying rate and effectively shorten drying time. In general, VD samples retained the proximate composition content of beetroot better than FD. FD and VD samples led to a better conservation of betacyanin content and antioxidant capacity (DPPH) at 50 and 80°C, respectively. Nevertheless, VD (50°C) stands out above FD in the Total Polyphenol Content (TPC) and the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) values. In addition, the syringic acid appears identified and quantified in VD samples at 50°C but not in FD samples. In consequence, this work shows that for vacuum dried beetroot, 50°C can be a suitable drying temperature in replacement of freeze-drying.

Drying kinetics of two fruits Portuguese cultivars (Bravo de Esmolfe apple and Madeira banana): An experimental study

Air convective dehydration was carried out at a laboratory scale using two fruits of cultivars produced in different regions of Portugal: Bravo de Esmolfe apple, from Beiras province, and Cavendish banana, from Madeira Island. Fresh fruits were dried in a tray drier with a hot airstream at different temperatures (35, 40, 45, and 50 °C) and velocity of 1.6 m s−1. Drying rate curves were obtained using a simple mathematical approach applied to the moisture content curves adjusting linear and polynomial functions. Different drying rate stages were noticed in the experiments made with apples (one constant drying rate period followed by two falling drying rate periods), while in the case of the banana the constant drying rate period was not perceived, being dried entirely during a unique falling drying rate period. As expected, the constant drying rate value obtained at the beginning of the experiments with apples is higher when these were conducted at higher temperatures, changing from 8.103 to 14.474 g m−2 s−1 when the airstream temperature increases from 35 to 50 °C. The correspondent critical moisture contents in the Bravo de Esmolfe apples, at the instant the constant drying rate period stops and the drying rate starts to fall, slightly decreases from 4.800 to 4.134 kgwater/kgdry solid.This study explored for the first time the drying behavior of these two important fruits that have been increasingly used in the food industry in Portugal, giving important information for the industrialization of its production.

Effects of the sludge physical-chemical properties on its microwave drying performance

Thermal drying is an effective sludge treatment method for dealing with large volumes of sludge. Microwave (MW) technology has been proposed as an effective and efficient technology for sludge drying. The physical-chemical properties of the sludge depend both on the origin of the sludge, as well as on the treatment process at which the sludge has been exposed. The physical-chemical properties of the sludge affect the performance and the subsequent valorisation and management of the sludge. This study evaluated the effect of certain physical-chemical properties of the sludge (moisture content, organic content, calorific value, porosity, hydrophobicity, and water-sludge molecular interaction, among others) on the MW sludge drying and energy performance. Four different types of sludge were evaluated collected from municipal wastewater treatment plants and septic tanks. The performance of the MW system was assessed by evaluating the sludge drying rates, exposure times, energy efficiencies and power input consumed by the MW system and linking the MW drying performance to the sludge physical-chemical properties. The results confirmed that MW drying substantially extends the constant drying period associated with unbound water evaporation, irrespective of the sludge sample evaluated. However, the duration and intensity were determined to depend on the dielectric properties of the sludge, particularly on the distribution of bound and free water. Sludge samples with a higher amount of free and loosely bound water absorbed and converted MW energy into heat more efficiently than sludge samples with a lower amount of free water. As a result, the sludge drying rates increased and the constant drying rate period prolonged; hence, leading to an increase in MW drying energy efficiency. The availability of free and loosely bound water molecules was favoured when hydrophobic compounds, e.g., oils and fats, were present in the sludge.

Determining Water Transport Kinetics in Limestone by Dual-Wavelength Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy.

Water plays a major role in the deterioration of porous building materials such as those widely found in built heritage, influencing many physical, chemical, and biological decay processes. This article details a proof-of-principle study using near-infrared cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) to monitor the release of water and its artificially enriched isotopologues from small (ca. 25 × 25 × 5 mm) samples of limestone subject to drying by a fixed flow of nitrogen with varying levels of humidity and at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. Under low-humidity conditions, the drying kinetics are consistent with the well-established two-phase drying process exhibited by porous materials, namely, an initial constant drying rate period (phase I) followed by a falling drying rate period (phase II). The water diffusivity during phase II, DII, was measured (for Clipsham limestone) to be 3.0 × 10–9 ± 1 × 10–10 m2 s–1. The CRDS measurements allow spectroscopic determination of the total mass of water released by the sample, and the calculated values are in excellent agreement with gravimetric analysis. Importantly, the selectivity and sensitivity afforded by CRDS allows isotope analysis to be carried out, such that the flux of isotopically labeled water out of the sample can be determined under conditions of humidified flow where there may be a simultaneous ingress of water from the environment. Dual-wavelength CRDS distinguishes isotopic species, and it is demonstrated that the drying kinetics and physical properties of the samples are self-consistent when monitoring both HDO and H2O (for HDO, DII was 3.2 × 10–9 ± 4 × 10–10 m2 s–1). As the humidity levels in the flow increase, a departure from the distinct two-phase behavior is observed in the HDO drying curves. These new measurements of isotopically resolved mass fluxes will help refine models for drying mechanisms in porous media.

Revealing hidden molecular nanostructure details in the pellet formulation of ibuprofen by combining Synchrotron and laboratory sources

Previous studies could report about different behavior of dried pellets at the 50°C due to the lack of constant rate period of drying. Now, one step further, the synchrotron (i.e. FT-IR, SWAXS) supported with laboratory sources (SWAXS, NMR) allowed deeper analytics reporting hidden partly molecular degradation invents from the frequently used drug ibuprofen in 4-isobutylacetophenone, and that molecule is no longer a drug but a toxic one. In the medication matrix CaSt was no degradation detected but the structural undulation seen with SAXS was also confirmed by FT-IR. However, we also show that a medical molecular degradation in their solid formulation could be detected and predicted not only by chemical analytics but also correlated and identified by a physical method based on X-Ray inner surface calculation. Such molecular degradation from active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) that occurs in the process of drug preparation in solid formulation can automatically be correlated with drug-dissolution. Thus, the Nano-analytical parameters based on the Small Angle X-Ray scattering (SAXS) signals of different electron densities in the material, identify the specific surface area, which could be seen even in closed pores and can be correlated with drug molecular degradation. As an example, is taken a very well-defined pellet solid ibuprofen calcium-stearate formulation. Using a synchrotron and a laboratory multi-technical package, we could reveal hidden nanostructures and molecular information, which have not been detected in previous studies. The Small and Wide X-Ray Scattering (SWAXS) spectra of pellets show that process variables do not affect the crystalline state of components but slight changes in the crystal lattice undulations (i.e., SAXS). Additionally, using the high-resolution NMR, Raman and Synchrotron-beam line FT-IR method, we can identify the molecular partial degradation of the Active Pharmaceutics Ingredient (API) in 4-isobutylacetophenone only at 50 °C in terms of the drying and preparation-condition. Such molecular degradation could not be detected in previous study due to the lack of high-resolution analytical laboratories and synchrotron tools that we were able to apply in this paper. For this sample also SAXS specific surface area display higher values and can be correlated as an indication and prediction for the molecular degradation but also dissolution due to increase of electron density contrasts.In general, such analyzes are helpful for the detection in time before the product comes on the market. Thus, we propose the idea of additional high-resolution multi-techniques i.e. Synchrotrons and new methods to become more common for revealing hidden medical molecular degradations, which can induce non-therapeutically but side effects.

Drying rate of latex coating affected by the deformability of resin particles in convection drying.

Latex paints are widely used, and many researchers pointed out that the film formation process depends on the deformability of dispersed polymer particles. However, the relationship between the film formation process and drying rate has not been totally understood due to the lack of accurate data on drying rate throughout the drying process. In the present study, we measured the drying rate of latex coating by the temperature change method proposed by Imakoma in convective drying. We revealed that the drying process significantly depends on particle deformability, especially in the former stage of the falling drying rate period. At a low drying temperature, the close-packed structure of polymer particles is formed throughout the film at the end of the constant drying rate period. On the other hand, partially deformed soft particles due to wet sintering inhibit the drying rate even under high moisture content at high drying temperatures. In either case, after forming the closest-packed structure, the shrinkage of the gap space between particles due to capillary deformation decreases the drying rate, proportional to the moisture content.

Implementation of an acoustic levitator experimental setup for the investigation into drying kinetics of single droplets

In recent years, acoustic levitation has increasingly been used to examine single droplets during the drying process. Steady levitation of individual droplets in an ultrasonic field enables the contactless observation during drying. An experimental setup for a levitator is designed and used to determine the drying and levitation behavior of two different material systems. To ensure hot gas flow patterns similar to a falling droplet the ultrasonic reflector has been modified as a multi-hole nozzle through which conditioned hot air is flowing toward the levitated droplet. The surface temperature of the individual droplets is constantly measured via an infrared camera while a CMOS camera is used to track the associated volume change during the drying process. The measured temperature data and volume change from contour data can be used to determine the individual drying rate periods, calculate the heat transfer coefficients and ultimately the drying kinetics with high accuracy over a wide range of parameters. First experimental results for a TiO2 suspension and a Bentonite suspension show good repeatability and prove the suitability of the presented method for determining the drying kinetics of single suspension droplets.