Modelling and simulation of pear drying

In the present work a diffusion based model was adopted to represent the drying behaviour of pears in a continuous convective drier, taking into consideration the variation of the properties of the pears along drying. The program developed simulated a significant number of situations resultant from the variation of some of the oper- ating conditions. The temperatures tested were 30, 40 and 50 C, the air velocities were 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 m/s, and the relative humidity of the drying air was 40%, 50% and 60%. From the situations analyzed, and considering the specifications required for the final product, it was concluded that the drying should be carried out at 40 C, with a drying air velocity of 1.5 m/s and containing 60% RH. 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved