Vacuum Dryer

instrutech
INSTRUCTION MANUAL
Introduction:
Vacuum drying provides an alternative to conventional atmospheric drying. Using this method,
it is possible to reduce the boiling point of water by decreasing the external pressure and,
consequently, to obtain results similar to high temperature but with relatively moderate drying
conditions.

Theory:

Vacuum drying: Evaporation is enhanced by lowering the pressure over the wet material and
heat may be added by direct contact with a metal tray holding the wet material or by radiation
(IR).
Drying occurs in three different periods, or phases, which can be clearly defined.
The first phase, or initial period, is where sensible heat is transferred to the product and the
contained moisture. This is the heating up of the product from the inlet condition to the
process condition, which enables the subsequent processes to take place. The rate of
evaporation increases dramatically during this period with mostly free moisture being removed.
In some instances, pre-processing can reduce or eliminate this phase. For example, if the feed
material is coming from a reactor or if the feed is preheated by a source of waste energy, the
inlet condition of the material will already be at a raised temperature.
The second phase, or constant rate period, is when the free moisture persists on the surfaces
and the rate of evaporation alters very little as the moisture content reduces. During this
period, drying rates are high and higher inlet air temperatures than in subsequent drying stages
can be used without detrimental effect to the product. There is a gradual and relatively small
increase in the product temperature during this period.
Interestingly, a common occurrence is that the time scale of the constant rate period may
Determine and affect the rate of drying in the next phase.
The third phase, or falling rate period, is the phase during which migration of moisture from
the inner interstices of each particle to the outer surface becomes the limiting factor that
reduces the drying rate.
CALCULATIONS

At Pressure = mm of Hg. (negative pressure)

Weight of dry solid, S = 100 gm

Amount of initial moisture = 15 ml

Weight of solid, W= solid + water

Moisture content present in solid,

We have the experimental data as :

Wt. of solid(solid + water Moisture content present in

Time ,t
)W solid X

(sec)
(gm) (gm water/gm of dry soild)
0 115 0.15
3 112 0.12
6 109 0.09
9 107 0.07
12 105 0.05
15 103 0.03
18 101 0.01
21 100 0
Now we plot a X v/s t plot as shown

From this plot we calculate the slope = -dx/dt.

Now we have the drying rate as

For a constant area we have the drying rate equation as :

Thus we have the table as:

Wt. of solid
Moisture content
N(Area
Time,t present in solid X Slope
(solid + water const)
)W
(sec) (gm water/gm of dry = -dx/dt
gm/sec
soild)
(gm)
0 115 0.15 0.0102 1.02
3 112 0.12 0.009324 0.9324
6 109 0.09 0.008448 0.8448
9 107 0.07 0.007572 0.7572
12 105 0.05 0.006696 0.6696
15 103 0.03 0.00582 0.582
18 101 0.01 0.004944 0.4944
Finally we plot a graph between X v/s N as shown :

The same steps are repeated for other runs at different operating conditions.

note: vacuum dryer should be run with & without vacuum at all other same conditions for analysis of
effect of vacuum on rate of drying.