Authors:
Chibuzo Victor Ikwuagwu, Okarevu Isaac Tejiri, Ezenwata Sophia Chimdindu, Okoro Ogbonnaya Wisdom, Ikechukwu Emmanuel Okoh

Addresses:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria. African Center of Excellence for Sustainable Power and Energy Development (ACE-SPED), University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Michigan Technological University, Michigan, United States of America. chibuzor.ikwuagwu@unn.edu.ng, okarevu.isaac.249033@unn.edu.ng, chimdindu.ezenwata.249032@unn.edu.ng, wisdom.okoro.249038@unn.edu.ng, iokoh@mtu.edu

Abstract:

This study focuses on creating and evaluating a dehydrator that can operate at different temperatures for preserving food. The dehydrator includes a drying chamber, an axial fan, a heating element, trays, vents, and a thermostat. Various experiments were carried out on the food dehydrator for performance evaluation. The first experiment was carried out on plantain, and it was observed that the drying time decreased as the drying temperature increased. The shortest drying time for plantain drying was obtained at 75℃, which is 210 minutes, followed by 70℃, with a total drying time of 240 minutes, and 65℃, with a total drying time of 270 minutes. Equilibrium moisture content was reached when no more change in weight was observed. These results explained that temperature significantly affected the selected product during dehydration. For the second experiment, it was observed that the higher the proximity of trays to the heating element, the faster the drying time. The shortest drying time for tomato was obtained at the tray closest to the heat source, with a total drying time of 90 minutes. The second tray in the middle had a total drying time of 120 minutes, whereas the third tray at the top took 150 minutes for the tomatoes to completely dry. This boldly explains that the dehydrator’s efficiency depends on the tray position. The food dehydrator increases its utility for drying a wide range of foodstuffs, including fruits, vegetables, meats, and fish, which have different moisture content and drying requirements. 

Keywords: Dehydration and Drying; Performance Evaluation; Drying Curves; Drying Kinetics; Drying Efficiency; Varying Temperature; Electrical and Control System Design; Connection wires and Thermostat.

Received on: 05/01/2024, Revised on: 01/03/2024, Accepted on: 05/05/2024, Published on: 09/06/2024

DOI: 10.69888/FTSES.2024.000191

FMDB Transactions on Sustainable Energy Sequence, 2024 Vol. 2 No. 1, Pages: 49-59

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