Mathematical modeling of combined convective and microwave drying for potato matrix

The microwave drying process has been growing in food industrial in order to decrease cost, as a result of decrease drying time, and increase quality. To increasethe efficiency of this process, combined microwave and convection drying method has been used. In this situation, mathematical analyses including heat andmass transfer analyses are necessary in order to apply an effective production control. One dimensional heat andmass transfer equations have been solved. One of the useful methods for heat analyses is Lambert’s law; it leads to similar results as Maxwell equation. The goal ofthis investigation is to employ this method. In this work potato matrix is selected as food material. Temperature and moisture distributions have been obtained duringmicrowave drying. Simulation model is developed in COMSOL software and results are validated withexperimental data. The comparison of present results and experimental data illustrate remarkable agreement.

کلیدواژه ها:

Microwave ، Comsol ، drying ، convective