Development of a new curve equation representing thin layer drying process

In this study, a new model for thin-layer drying process was developed, tested, and verified by using data from the literature and compared. In this regard, the required data were collected from the experiments of green tea leaves in fixed bed and swirling flow fluidized bed infrared drying system, fixed bed, and swirling flow fluidized bed microwave drying system, apricot and kiwi in microwave drying system, and mammoth pumpkin (Cucurbita Maxima) in a laboratory scale dryer. As a result, the proposed model called “Improved Midilli-Kucuk Model” was determined to be the best model among the thin-layer drying-curve equations in the literature. Correlation coefficient (r), the coefficient of determination (R²), reduced chi-square ((Formula presented.)), reduced sum square error (RSSE), and mean bias error (MBE) were calculated between 0.99583 and 1, 0.99543 and 1, 0.00273 and 0, 0.00103 and 0, and 0.00046 and 0, respectively. The highest values of r, R^2, and (Formula presented.) and the lowest values of (Formula presented.), RMSE, RSSE, and MBE were obtained for green tea leaves drying in swirling flow fluidized bed infrared drying system at infrared power of 1000 W.