DESORPTION ISOTHERM AND HEAT-PUMP DRYING KINETICS OF PEAS

Moisture desorption isotherms and thin layer drying kinetices of peas in a laboratory pilot heat pump dryer were measured and modeled. A mes h bottom tray was used and air flow was parallel to the two faces of t he thin layer. Air drying temperature, and relative humidity were vari ed from 25 to 65 degrees C and 0.20 to 0.60, respectively. The air vel ocity was 1.5 m s(-1). A two component exponential model was used to r epresent the heat pump drying curves. The model parameters were correl ated with the temperature and relative humidity. The two component mod el and correlations for the parameters developed can be used to predic t the moisture content of peas during heat pump air drying. (C) 1998 C anadian Institute of Food Science and Technology. Published by Elsevie r Science Ltd. All rights reserved.