1 Applications of MATLAB-based software to drying simulation

The quality of grain drying depends on an adequate control of drying parameters. The flow rate, temperature and relative humidity of drying air play major roles in grains drying. Drying simulation is based on plenty of parameters with sequent time series. It needs a powerful algorithmic tool to process such masses of mathmatic data. A software-based simulation was proved to be more efficient and economic for predicting the drying results. Based on previous surveys, lots of equations concerning air psychromatrics, thin layer drying, air flow resistance, equilibrium moisture content, deep bed drying are combined to develope a software for drying simulation. This study develops a MATLAB-based software SAPGD-2004 to predict the air properties, psychrometrics data, air flow resistance, equilibrium moisture contents, the results of thin layer drying and deep-bed drying. The study also examines thin layer drying equations in ASAE Standard S448.1(2003) and other literatures. Some errors, however, were found during verifying with simulations. The software was proved to be a convenient tool to identify the range of applicability and potential uncertainties for these equations. Key Words: psycrometrics, airflow resistance, equilibrium moisture content, thin layer drying, deep-bed drying, simulation, grain drying, MATLAB