Abstract

In this experiment, tray dryer used to dry sample of grated coconut. The sample was
chosen as we believed that it will require only short time to dry. The moisture content will
decrease with time. First, the sample of grated coconut was scattered throughout four
layer of tray. Then the heater was turned on, followed by the fan. The maximum
temperature that the dryer can reach is 80 oC. The fan and heater was set to be on its
maximum efficiency. The weight of sample was taken for every 10 minutes within 100
minutes. The result shows that there is a significant decrease in mass of sample
through times. For the first 50 minutes, there is a rapid decrease in mass of the coconut
grate. 50 minutes onward, the decrease in mass is slowing for every interval of 10
minutes. This indicates that the moisture is decrease with time. The initial mass of the
grate is 575.1 g decrease to 343.2 g at 100 minutes.
Introduction
Drying process is done in the industry especially in food industry due to two
reasons. The first one is to prevent the microbial activities and thus preserve the food.
The second one is to reduce the weight of food so that will results in cheaper transport
and storage.Basically, drying is a process of removal of water from foods. Foods usually
dried by using hot air to remove the moisture content. To drive effectively, the air need to
be hot, dry and moving. These factors are related to each other. Humidity is a term to
represent the dryness of air. Technically, lower humidity indicates a dryer air. One of the
method to express humidity is a ratio of water vapour in air to air that is fully saturated
with water. This is also called as relative humidity or RH. RH 0% indicating air that is
completely dry whereby water vapour that has RH of 100% is fully saturated water
vapour. Low RH air have a capacity to hold more water until it becomes saturated.
Drying principle is that a dry air comes in contact with wet food and absorbs some of the
oisture from th food. The air then blown away and dry air will replace it. Therefore, the
process of extracting moisture from food especially can be continue until the food is dry.
If a high RH air used, for example in tropical climates when there is failry humid
environment, the air will quickly become saturated that results in longer drying process.
This is due to the facts that the air cannot hold much moisture. (Ali, 2008)

Tray dryer usually refers to small industrial systems where air heater and fan was
passed with air over the product being dried. The tray dryer used are made of trays held
in cabinet that is connected to air source of heated by heated coil. The temperature of
the air normally controlled by the thermostat with maximum temperature of 80 oC.
Heated air entering from the left side of the trays and passing through the trays of food
being dried. Then it will exits through the opening that located at the end of the
machine. Practically, the trays are designed to force the air to follow a longer zigzag
route where there is an increase of air-food contact time. Therefore, increase the
efficiency. This system also will reduce back pressure. Thus, a cheaper ans smaller fan
also can be used. (Ali, 2008)