Effect of Initial Moisture Content of Maize Grain on Moisture Removal Rate and Energy Used in Experimental Vertical Pneumatic Dryer

Meshack Kipruto Korir; Musa Rugiri Njue; Daudi Mongeri Nyaanga

doi:doi:10.11648/j.be.20220602.15

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Effect of Initial Moisture Content of Maize Grain on Moisture Removal Rate and Energy Used in Experimental Vertical Pneumatic Dryer

Meshack Kipruto Korir, Musa Rugiri Njue, Daudi Mongeri Nyaanga

Published in Bioprocess Engineering (Volume 6, Issue 2)

Received: 28 October 2022 Accepted: 28 November 2022 Published: 8 December 2022

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Abstract

Maize is a staple food and source of income in Kenya. However, postharvest losses are estimated at 12% to 20% of the national total output primarily due to high moisture storage. Drying to safe level of 13.5% before storage is essential. One of the main factors which influence drying process is initial moisture content (MC) of the grain. Therefore, this paper presents the effect of initial MC of maize grain on moisture removal rate (MRR) and energy used in drying. The experiments were based on selected initial MC levels of 20%, 25% and 30%, wet basis (wb). The first experiment involved loading experimental vertical pneumatic dryer with 70.0 kg of wet maize grain with initial MC of 20%. The grain was then dried for 2 hours as MRR and energy used monitored at an interval of 15 minutes. The grain and drying air mass flow rate was controlled at 771 kg/h and 547 kg/h, respectively. The plenum chamber air temperature was maintained at 70°C using proportional integral derivative controller. The maize grain variety used was hybrid 614 sourced from a farmer in Njoro sub-County, Nakuru County, Kenya. Similar experiments were repeated but using maize grain with initial MC of 25% and 30%, wb. The MC of 20%, 25% and 30% were obtained by rewetting maize grain with initial MC of 11.4% (wb) in tap water at a temperature of 18°C for 0.75 hours, 1.75 hours and 5.75 hours, respectively. The MRR results ranged from 0.0914 kg/kg.h to 0.0357 kg/kg.h for maize grain with initial MC of 20%, 0.1043 kg/kg.h to 0.0556 kg/kg.h for 25% and 0.1185 kg/kg.h to 0.0705 kg/kg.h for 30%. The energy used for air heating (E_a) for each level of MC was 10.5 kWh. The energy used for grain transportation (E_g) was 4.6 kWh for MC of 20%, 4.8 kWh for 25% and 5.0 kWh for 30%. Data analysis results showed that the initial MC of the maize grain had significant effect (P < 0.05) on MRR. However, the effect of initial MC on E_a and E_g was not significant (P > 0.05).

Published in	Bioprocess Engineering (Volume 6, Issue 2)
DOI	10.11648/j.be.20220602.15
Page(s)	34-39
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Initial Moisture Content, Maize Grain, Moisture Removal Rate, Energy Used in Drying, Pneumatic Dryer

References

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Meshack Kipruto Korir, Musa Rugiri Njue, Daudi Mongeri Nyaanga. (2022). Effect of Initial Moisture Content of Maize Grain on Moisture Removal Rate and Energy Used in Experimental Vertical Pneumatic Dryer. Bioprocess Engineering, 6(2), 34-39. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.be.20220602.15

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ACS Style

Meshack Kipruto Korir; Musa Rugiri Njue; Daudi Mongeri Nyaanga. Effect of Initial Moisture Content of Maize Grain on Moisture Removal Rate and Energy Used in Experimental Vertical Pneumatic Dryer. Bioprocess Eng. 2022, 6(2), 34-39. doi: 10.11648/j.be.20220602.15

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AMA Style

Meshack Kipruto Korir, Musa Rugiri Njue, Daudi Mongeri Nyaanga. Effect of Initial Moisture Content of Maize Grain on Moisture Removal Rate and Energy Used in Experimental Vertical Pneumatic Dryer. Bioprocess Eng. 2022;6(2):34-39. doi: 10.11648/j.be.20220602.15

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@article{10.11648/j.be.20220602.15,
  author = {Meshack Kipruto Korir and Musa Rugiri Njue and Daudi Mongeri Nyaanga},
  title = {Effect of Initial Moisture Content of Maize Grain on Moisture Removal Rate and Energy Used in Experimental Vertical Pneumatic Dryer},
  journal = {Bioprocess Engineering},
  volume = {6},
  number = {2},
  pages = {34-39},
  doi = {10.11648/j.be.20220602.15},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.be.20220602.15},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.be.20220602.15},
  abstract = {Maize is a staple food and source of income in Kenya. However, postharvest losses are estimated at 12% to 20% of the national total output primarily due to high moisture storage. Drying to safe level of 13.5% before storage is essential. One of the main factors which influence drying process is initial moisture content (MC) of the grain. Therefore, this paper presents the effect of initial MC of maize grain on moisture removal rate (MRR) and energy used in drying. The experiments were based on selected initial MC levels of 20%, 25% and 30%, wet basis (wb). The first experiment involved loading experimental vertical pneumatic dryer with 70.0 kg of wet maize grain with initial MC of 20%. The grain was then dried for 2 hours as MRR and energy used monitored at an interval of 15 minutes. The grain and drying air mass flow rate was controlled at 771 kg/h and 547 kg/h, respectively. The plenum chamber air temperature was maintained at 70°C using proportional integral derivative controller. The maize grain variety used was hybrid 614 sourced from a farmer in Njoro sub-County, Nakuru County, Kenya. Similar experiments were repeated but using maize grain with initial MC of 25% and 30%, wb. The MC of 20%, 25% and 30% were obtained by rewetting maize grain with initial MC of 11.4% (wb) in tap water at a temperature of 18°C for 0.75 hours, 1.75 hours and 5.75 hours, respectively. The MRR results ranged from 0.0914 kg/kg.h to 0.0357 kg/kg.h for maize grain with initial MC of 20%, 0.1043 kg/kg.h to 0.0556 kg/kg.h for 25% and 0.1185 kg/kg.h to 0.0705 kg/kg.h for 30%. The energy used for air heating (Ea) for each level of MC was 10.5 kWh. The energy used for grain transportation (Eg) was 4.6 kWh for MC of 20%, 4.8 kWh for 25% and 5.0 kWh for 30%. Data analysis results showed that the initial MC of the maize grain had significant effect (P a and Eg was not significant (P > 0.05).},
 year = {2022}
}

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TY - JOUR
T1 - Effect of Initial Moisture Content of Maize Grain on Moisture Removal Rate and Energy Used in Experimental Vertical Pneumatic Dryer
AU - Meshack Kipruto Korir
AU - Musa Rugiri Njue
AU - Daudi Mongeri Nyaanga
Y1 - 2022/12/08
PY - 2022
N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.be.20220602.15
DO - 10.11648/j.be.20220602.15
T2 - Bioprocess Engineering
JF - Bioprocess Engineering
JO - Bioprocess Engineering
SP - 34
EP - 39
PB - Science Publishing Group
SN - 2578-8701
UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.be.20220602.15
AB - Maize is a staple food and source of income in Kenya. However, postharvest losses are estimated at 12% to 20% of the national total output primarily due to high moisture storage. Drying to safe level of 13.5% before storage is essential. One of the main factors which influence drying process is initial moisture content (MC) of the grain. Therefore, this paper presents the effect of initial MC of maize grain on moisture removal rate (MRR) and energy used in drying. The experiments were based on selected initial MC levels of 20%, 25% and 30%, wet basis (wb). The first experiment involved loading experimental vertical pneumatic dryer with 70.0 kg of wet maize grain with initial MC of 20%. The grain was then dried for 2 hours as MRR and energy used monitored at an interval of 15 minutes. The grain and drying air mass flow rate was controlled at 771 kg/h and 547 kg/h, respectively. The plenum chamber air temperature was maintained at 70°C using proportional integral derivative controller. The maize grain variety used was hybrid 614 sourced from a farmer in Njoro sub-County, Nakuru County, Kenya. Similar experiments were repeated but using maize grain with initial MC of 25% and 30%, wb. The MC of 20%, 25% and 30% were obtained by rewetting maize grain with initial MC of 11.4% (wb) in tap water at a temperature of 18°C for 0.75 hours, 1.75 hours and 5.75 hours, respectively. The MRR results ranged from 0.0914 kg/kg.h to 0.0357 kg/kg.h for maize grain with initial MC of 20%, 0.1043 kg/kg.h to 0.0556 kg/kg.h for 25% and 0.1185 kg/kg.h to 0.0705 kg/kg.h for 30%. The energy used for air heating (Ea) for each level of MC was 10.5 kWh. The energy used for grain transportation (Eg) was 4.6 kWh for MC of 20%, 4.8 kWh for 25% and 5.0 kWh for 30%. Data analysis results showed that the initial MC of the maize grain had significant effect (P a and Eg was not significant (P > 0.05).
VL - 6
IS - 2
ER -

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Author Information

Meshack Kipruto Korir

Department of Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Egerton University, Nakuru, Kenya
Musa Rugiri Njue

Department of Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Egerton University, Nakuru, Kenya
Daudi Mongeri Nyaanga

Department of Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Egerton University, Nakuru, Kenya

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Meshack Kipruto Korir, Musa Rugiri Njue, Daudi Mongeri Nyaanga. (2022). Effect of Initial Moisture Content of Maize Grain on Moisture Removal Rate and Energy Used in Experimental Vertical Pneumatic Dryer. Bioprocess Engineering, 6(2), 34-39. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.be.20220602.15

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ACS Style

Meshack Kipruto Korir; Musa Rugiri Njue; Daudi Mongeri Nyaanga. Effect of Initial Moisture Content of Maize Grain on Moisture Removal Rate and Energy Used in Experimental Vertical Pneumatic Dryer. Bioprocess Eng. 2022, 6(2), 34-39. doi: 10.11648/j.be.20220602.15

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AMA Style

Meshack Kipruto Korir, Musa Rugiri Njue, Daudi Mongeri Nyaanga. Effect of Initial Moisture Content of Maize Grain on Moisture Removal Rate and Energy Used in Experimental Vertical Pneumatic Dryer. Bioprocess Eng. 2022;6(2):34-39. doi: 10.11648/j.be.20220602.15

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@article{10.11648/j.be.20220602.15,
  author = {Meshack Kipruto Korir and Musa Rugiri Njue and Daudi Mongeri Nyaanga},
  title = {Effect of Initial Moisture Content of Maize Grain on Moisture Removal Rate and Energy Used in Experimental Vertical Pneumatic Dryer},
  journal = {Bioprocess Engineering},
  volume = {6},
  number = {2},
  pages = {34-39},
  doi = {10.11648/j.be.20220602.15},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.be.20220602.15},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.be.20220602.15},
  abstract = {Maize is a staple food and source of income in Kenya. However, postharvest losses are estimated at 12% to 20% of the national total output primarily due to high moisture storage. Drying to safe level of 13.5% before storage is essential. One of the main factors which influence drying process is initial moisture content (MC) of the grain. Therefore, this paper presents the effect of initial MC of maize grain on moisture removal rate (MRR) and energy used in drying. The experiments were based on selected initial MC levels of 20%, 25% and 30%, wet basis (wb). The first experiment involved loading experimental vertical pneumatic dryer with 70.0 kg of wet maize grain with initial MC of 20%. The grain was then dried for 2 hours as MRR and energy used monitored at an interval of 15 minutes. The grain and drying air mass flow rate was controlled at 771 kg/h and 547 kg/h, respectively. The plenum chamber air temperature was maintained at 70°C using proportional integral derivative controller. The maize grain variety used was hybrid 614 sourced from a farmer in Njoro sub-County, Nakuru County, Kenya. Similar experiments were repeated but using maize grain with initial MC of 25% and 30%, wb. The MC of 20%, 25% and 30% were obtained by rewetting maize grain with initial MC of 11.4% (wb) in tap water at a temperature of 18°C for 0.75 hours, 1.75 hours and 5.75 hours, respectively. The MRR results ranged from 0.0914 kg/kg.h to 0.0357 kg/kg.h for maize grain with initial MC of 20%, 0.1043 kg/kg.h to 0.0556 kg/kg.h for 25% and 0.1185 kg/kg.h to 0.0705 kg/kg.h for 30%. The energy used for air heating (Ea) for each level of MC was 10.5 kWh. The energy used for grain transportation (Eg) was 4.6 kWh for MC of 20%, 4.8 kWh for 25% and 5.0 kWh for 30%. Data analysis results showed that the initial MC of the maize grain had significant effect (P a and Eg was not significant (P > 0.05).},
 year = {2022}
}

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