DRYER SET UP

1. SPECIFICATIONS
Parts:
3 valves
Dimensions:
18.7 in by 37 in by 60 in
98.8 in (length of the dryer)
2. PRINCIPLE
Drying refers generally to the removal of moisture from a substance. Three basic
methods of drying are used today 1) sun drying, a traditional method in which materials
dry naturally in the sun, 2) hot air drying in which materials are exposed to a blast of hot
air and 3) freeze drying, in which frozen materials are placed in a vacuum chamber to
draw out the water. The fundamental nature of all drying process is the removal of
volatile substances (mainly moisture) from mixture to yield a solid product. Throughout
the convective drying of solid materials, two processes occur simultaneously namely,
transfer of energy from the local environment in the dryer and transfer of moisture from
within the solid. Therefore this unit operation may be considered as simultaneous heat
and mass transfer operation.
3. OPERATING PROCEDURE
3.1 Start-Up
3.1.1. Run the boiler. Wait until the pressure gauge in the steam
discharge shows a reading about 25 psi.
3.1.2. Open the steam inlet to the heating tubes of the tunnel dryer.
Let the steam run inside the tubes for about 15 minutes with
the condensate outlet valve closed.
3.1.3. Open the condensate outlet valve and let the steam flow until
rate of condensation of steam becomes constant.
3.1.4. Switch on the blower to the tunnel with the sample
compartment empty.
3.1.5. Measure the exit (dry bulb) temperature and the velocity of
the heated air every 2 minutes until both becomes constant.

Process

3.2.1. Place a layer of dry solids approximately 1 cm thick in the

tray. Record the weight of the dry solids.
3.2.2. Saturate the solids with water and record the weight of wet
solids. Place the tray in the drier.
3.2.3. After about 10 minutes, remove the tray in the drier. Weigh
quickly and return to the drier. Take note of the outlet
temperature of air (dry bulb and wet bulb), air velocity and
the exact drying time also, measure the humidity of the air
leaving the drier.
3.2.4. Repeat step 3 until there is no further change in the weight of
the solid sample.
3.2.5. Perform second and third trials using fresh solid sample for
each trial.
2

Shutdown
3.3.1. Initialize boiler shutdown. (NOTE: shutdown of boiler must be
initialize when all the other steam consumers are done with
the experiment.)
3.3.2. Let the blower operate continuously for about 15 minutes
with the boiler shut.
3.3.3. Check the condensate outlet. Keep to open until no more
condensate is coming out. Tap the pipe gently, when no
condensate drops, close the steam inlet and outlet valves.
3.3.4. Switch off the blower.
3.3.5. Put the dried sand away. Clean the tray and the solid sample
compartment.