Two different approaches were used to predict the solid moisture conte
nt and solid temperature profiles along a continuous indirect contact
rotary dryer heated with steam tubes. One of these uses heat and mass
balances applied to the solid phase in a differential element of dryer
length. Here the heat flux is computed through an overall heat transf
er coefficient assumed constant. The other model is based on a previou
s work that calculates the heat transfer coefficient as a function of
the time the solid particles are in contact with the heating surface.
The advantage in using this second model lies in the fact that the cal
culated heat transfer coefficient can take into account the effects of
the operational conditions. If this coefficient has a strong dependen
ce on these conditions, then it would be inappropriate to use a fixed
value. Although both approaches can predict the solid moisture content
and temperature profiles along the dryer differences were detected.