Effect of configuration of non-porous draft tubes drying kinetics of black pepper in a spouted bed dryer

Drying of black pepper has been studied in a lab scale spouted bed dryer. Experiments were carried out m a spouted bed dryer with non porous draft tubes and without non porous draft tubes. The highest drying rate was achieved when biack pepper was dried without draft tubes. Comparison of the minimum spouting velocities with draft tubes and without draft tubes reveals that the non porous draft tube fitted spouted bed had the lowest value. Further influence of the geometricfactors of non porous draft tubes such as height, diameter and height of entrainment zone on the drying kinetics of black pepper was analysed. Experimental data showed that increase in draft tube diameter, height and entrainment height increases the rate of moisture removal and reduces the drying time