Drying Kinetics and Mathematical Modeling of Casuarina Equisetifolia Wood Chips at Various Temperatures

Abstract

Casuarina equisetifolia wood is extensively used as fire wood and is also being used extensively in gassifiers. Drying is an important procedure which has to be carried out before the wood is burnt. Experiments on Casuarina wood chips of dimension 5.08 cm × 5.08 cm with 2.54 cm thickness were carried out between 80^oC to 100^oC in a tray drier using air flow velocity of 0.5m/s. Initial moisture content was found to be 48% on dry basis. The experimental drying curves showed only the falling rate period. Eleven thin-layer drying kinetic models were fitted with the experimental drying kinetics values and individual model constants were found. These models were compared using statistical measures like correlation coefficient, root mean square error, mean bias error and reduced chi-square to estimate the best model that would fit for the experiment. The drying rate and effective diffusion coefficient (D_eff) were found to increase with temperature.