Moisture content modeling and effective moisture diffusivity determination during convective solar drying of blackberry (rubus spp) and basil (Ocimum basilicum L.)

The goal of reducing energy consumption (EC), losses and waste (FL) in the
food processing is a challenges in the worldwide. The use of active solar
greenhouse dryers (GHD) for EC and FL reductions has increased due to its
capacity, and low operating costs. In this work the effective diffusivity (Deff)
and the moisture content modeling were analized for basil (Ocimum basilicum)
and blackberry pulp (Rubus rosoideae) dried in a conventional stove (CD) and
an GHD coupled to an additional air solar heating system (SCHa). The loss of
water and the drying rate in food materials dehydrated in the GHD is
consistent with the increment or decrement of temperature during the solar
day. The Deff values for basil and blackberry pulp was ranged between -
1.1044x10-7 and -3.9167x10-9. The solar energy obtained in the GHD supplied the heating requirements. In general, the Page’s model was the best fit for the drying kinetics for basil and blackberry pulp.