Three-dimensional simulation of humid-air dryer using computational fluid dynamics

A three-dimensional (3-D), mathematical model for the analysis of the flow distribution in a humid-air dryer was developed employing a computational fluid dynamics package, FLUENT®. A thin-layer drying approach for a sphere-shaped object was coupled with 3-D modeling framework. The model was validated by comparing the simulated moisture content (MC) of red pepper with experimentally measured MC with drying time. The present model was employed to obtain optimized dryer design with the most homogeneous flow distribution inside the drying trays. Consequently, two parametric studies are presented and discussed: (i) varying inner structure, and (ii) varying drying objects in the dryer.