Feasibility of Applying Conductive Heat and Convective Heat to the Drying Process of Safe Solar Salt

• Published in: Journal of Biosystems Engineering, 44(4) Vol. 44; no. 4; pp. 236 - 244
• Main Authors: Han, Jae-woong, Kim, Woong, Lee, Hyo-Jai
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Singapore Springer Singapore 01.12.2019; 한국농업기계학회
• Subjects: Agriculture; Control; Engineering; Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology; Mechatronics; Original Article; Robotics; 농학; Conductive heat; Convective heat; Safe solar salt; Moisture content; Salinity; Whiteness
• ISSN: 1738-1266; 2234-1862
• DOI: 10.1007/s42853-019-00034-w

This study investigated drying characteristics for the production of safe solar salt. The drying characteristics were measured and analyzed at 10-min intervals by drying at 50, 75, and 100 °C for approximately 30 min using three dry heat sources, such as conductive heat (hereafter CDH), convective heat (hereafter CVH), and conductive and convective heat (hereafter CDCVH). The characteristics measured were moisture content, salinity, whiteness, b* (yellowness), and energy consumption. Moisture content tends to decrease with increasing drying time. In particular, the drying rate of the drying method using CDCVH was most rapid (1.22%, w.b./h). The deviation of the moisture content was further increased by using the CVH method. Salinity and whiteness were not significantly different for every experiment. Otherwise, the deviation of the b* value of the drying experiment using the CDCVH was largest. Energy consumption using the CVH method was similar to the drying method using CDCVH, but the cost of the heat generator for the drying method using the CDCVH was more expensive. Therefore, considering the deviation of moisture content after drying, the cost of the heat generator, and the change of the appearance quality (b* value), the drying method using the CVH was most suitable.