A secagem de produtos agrícolas é largamente utilizada no mundo para o controle e a manutenção da qualidade dos produtos agrícolas. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi modelar o processo de secagem e obter os parâmetros termodinâmicos de frutos de café (Coffea Arabica L.), cultivar Catuaí Amarelo, para três diferentes condições de temperatura e umidade relativa (35 ºC e 32,1%; 45 ºC e 15,7%; e 55 ºC e 10,2%). Foram utilizados frutos de café colhidos manualmente com teor inicial de água de 1,25 (b.s.) e submetidos à secagem até atingirem o teor médio de 0,13 (b.s). Seis modelos matemáticos usualmente utilizados para a representação do processo de secagem de produtos agrícolas foram ajustados aos dados experimentais. A segunda lei de Fick foi utilizada para obter os coeficientes de difusão dos frutos de café por meio da cinética da secagem. A energia de ativação para a secagem dos frutos de café, bem como a entropia, entalpia e energia livre de Gibbs, foram obtidas. O modelo de Midili modificado foi o que melhor representou o fenômeno de secagem de frutos de café. Os valores do coeficiente de difusão obtidos foram 2,99 x 10-11, 2,39 x 10-11 e 5,98 x 10-11 m² s-1 para as temperaturas de 35, 45 e 55 ºC, respectivamente. A entalpia diminuiu com o aumento da temperatura do ar de secagem, bem como a entropia. A energia livre de Gibbs aumentou com o aumento da temperatura.

Mathematical modeling of the drying process of corn ears - doi: 10.4025/actasciagron.v33i4.7079

This study aimed to obtain the drying and water absorption curves of husk rice grain (Oryza sativa L.), cv. Urucuia, as well as the thermodynamic properties. Five temperatures (35°C, 45°C, 55°C, 65°C and 75°C) were used. Two terms, logarithmic, modified Midilli, Page and Verma models were used to model the drying process, and the Peleg model was used to model the soaking process. The modified Midilli and Peleg models satisfactorily accounted for the processes of drying and absorption of water, respectively. The activation energy for the drying and soaking was 51.03 and 37.06 kJ mol⁻¹, respectively. The enthalpy and entropy decreased with increasing temperature, regardless of the process. Their values ranged between −6.60 and 48.47 kJ mol⁻¹ and between −0.1084 and −0.2464 kJ mol⁻¹ K⁻¹ for enthalpy and entropy, respectively. The Gibbs free energy increased with increasing temperature, with values between 69.36 and 86.22 kJ mol⁻¹.

Summary: The desorption isotherms and thermodynamic properties of coffee from different processing stages were obtained during the drying process of this product. The isotherms were determined by a static gravimetric method for various temperature and humidity conditions. Equilibrium moisture content (M_e) data were correlated by several mathematical models and an artificial neural network (ANN) model. The M_e for coffee fruits, pulped coffee and green coffee increased with an increase in the water activity (a_w) at any particular temperature. At a constant a_w, coffee fruits samples had higher M_e than the remaining coffee samples. Based on statistical parameters, the ANN model, modified Henderson and GAB models were adequate to describe the sorption characteristics of the samples. Isosteric heat of sorption was evaluated by means of the Clausius–Clapeyron equation. It decreased with increasing moisture content. The coffee fruits had higher isosteric heat of sorption than that pulped coffee and green coffee.