Thermal Issues in Emerging Technologies, ThETA 3, Cairo, Egypt, Dec 19-22nd 2010

STUDIES ON DRYING KINETICS OF SOLIDS IN A ROTARY DRYER

Avaneendra Linga and P.S.T.Sai

Department of Chemical Engineering

Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Chennai – 600036, India

Abstract
Experimental and theoretical investigations on drying
of non-hygroscopic material were conducted in a rotary
dryer with preheated air as the drying medium. The
progress of the drying process was experimentally
investigated batch wise and under continuous
conditions for different temperatures and flow rates of
the drying medium, rotational speed and inclination of
the cylinder, and initial moisture content of solids. The
experimental product moisture content from continuous
drying process was satisfactorily compared with
predictions based on axial dispersion model.
The drying rate was found to increase with increase in
either rotational speed of the dryer or temperature or
flow rate of the drying medium. It decreases with
increase in either initial moisture content of the solids
or solids holdup. The study shows that the drying
kinetics coupled with residence time distribution
function for the flow of the solids satisfactorily predicts
the moisture content of the solids in the product.
1. Introduction
Drying is an operation of great commercial importance
in many industrial applications ranging through the
food, agricultural, mining and manufacturing sectors.
Drying is certainly one of the most energy-intensive
operations in industry and most dryers operate at low
thermal efficiency. Drying is a process in which an
unbound and/or bound volatile liquid is removed from a
solid by evaporation. Large quantities of granular
material with particles of 10 mm or larger that are not
too fragile or heat sensitive or cause any other handling
problems are dried in rotary dryers in process industries.
Rotary drying is a complicated process involving
simultaneous heat, mass and momentum transfer
phenomena.
A static model for counter-current rotary drying to
obtain moisture profile for solids in both constant and
falling rate periods was developed by Myklesstad [1].
Thorpe [2] divided the dryer into a large number of
ideal stages and applied heat and mass transfer balances
to each stage. No comparison between simulated and
measured temperature and moisture profiles was
reported. Garcia and Ragazzo [3] proposed a
phenomenological mathematical model that describes
the continuous drying process. Chandran et al. [4] used
a probability density model for fluidized bed drying
using residence distribution function suitable for mixing
of solids and drying kinetics. Igauaz et al. [5]
developed a model by dividing the dryer into 10
sections and establishing mass and energy balances in
each of them to predict air and product moisture and
temperature. Arruda et al. [6] compared the
performance of a conventional cascading rotary dryer
with a modified configuration, known as a roto-aerated
dryer and attributed the improvement in drying
performance to the better gas-particle contact in new
configuration.
An analysis of literature indicates that the available
information is restricted to modeling of rotary dryers
based on fundamental laws of heat transfer and mass
transfer and experimental data is available on rotary
drying for hygroscopic materials. The present work
aims to study the drying characteristics for non-
hygroscopic porous material (sand), and development of
population balance model by combining the drying
kinetics and residence time distribution function
appropriate for the mixing of solids.
2. Experimental
The experimental set-up consists of rotating cylinder of
1 meter length with an ID of 122 mm. To drive the
cylinder at desired rotational speed, a DC motor was
provided. The inclination of the cylinder was varied
with the help of jack mechanism provided at the feed
end of the kiln. A vibratory feeder was used to feed the
material to the rotary dryer at constant rate. Lifting
flights were provided inside the cylinder wall to prevent
the slippage of material along the inside surface and to
aid in good mixing of the material. Circular dams
provided at the exit end with a height of 14 mm and at
the entrance end with a height of 19 mm cover,
respectively, 20 and 30% of the kiln cross-sectional
area. Provisions were made to insert thermocouples at
inlet and outlet ends. Air drawn through a blower passes
through a heater and the flow rate and temperature of
the air were controlled independently by variacs
connected to blower and heater.
The feed was prepared by adding a known amount of
water to known quantity of solids and mixing the
contents thoroughly. The moisture content of the feed
was determined by drying a sample of solids in an air
oven maintained at 105O C to a constant weight.

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 Drying Kinetics of Solids in Rotary Dryer, Avaneendra and Sai
2.1 Batch drying Mo tn 1  (1)
X n  X n1   G   YGE dt  YGO t n1  t n 
1 Xo t 
After placing a known amount of the feed material in  n 
the dryer, the dryer was provided a small inclination
initially to facilitate the even distribution of the material A typical variation in relative moisture content of solids
inside and later made horizontal. Hot air at known with time is shown in Fig. 1. This curve will be useful
temperature was admitted to the dryer and the progress directly in determining the time required for drying
of the drying was monitored at regular intervals of time large batches under the same drying conditions.
by measuring the wet and dry bulb temperatures with
digital thermometers. The moisture content of the exit 1.2
air was calculated using online humidity calculator and Xo,%
the moisture content of the solids was calculated by 1
8
material balance. The temperatures at the exit were 4
noted until the drying was complete. The flow rate of 0.8 3
the air was measured using anemometer. The

(x/xo )
experiments were repeated at different operating 0.6
conditions as detailed in Table 1.
0.4
2.2 Continuous drying
Initially hot air at known temperature was admitted into 0.2
the dryer operating at required rotational speed and
inclination till steady outlet temperature was reached.
0
The wet material was then fed through the vibratory
feeder at known rate. After steady state was attained, as 0 10 20 30
indicated by constant wet and dry bulb temperatures at Time, min
both inlet and outlet, a sample was collected at the exit
stream for moisture content determination. The rotation Figure 1. Variation of relative moisture content of solids
of the dryer and the solids feed were simultaneously with initial moisture content at T = 52O C, V = 25.2
stopped, and the material inside the dryer was collected cm/s, N = 12 rpm
and weighed to obtain the holdup of the solids. The
experiments were repeated at different operating
conditions as detailed in Table 1. 0.35

Table 1: Range of variables studied in the present study 0.3

Rate of drying, kg/kg. h

PROCESS VARIABLE RANGE

0.25
Particle size, mm + 1 - 1.25
Air inlet temperature, OC 52, 65, 75 0.2
Initial moisture content of Xo, %
solids, % 3, 4, 5, 8
0.15
Air velocity, cm/s 19.5, 23.5, 25.2
Solids feed rate, kg/min 0.262 8
Rotational speed, rpm 4, 7, 12 0.1
4
Inclination, deg 2.77, 3.47, 4.16 3
0.05
3. Results and Discussion
0
3.1 Batch drying
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1
A set of 34 experiments was conducted with 1 kg of
material under different operating conditions viz., air
Xo, kg/kg
flow rate and its temperature, initial moisture content of Figure 2. Variation of drying rate with initial moisture
solids and rotational speed of the dryer. content of solids at T = 52O C, V = 25.2 cm/s, N = 12
Suppose an amount of M0 kg of wet solids with rpm
moisture content of XO is charged to a batch dryer A typical variation in rate of drying with initial moisture
through which G kg/min of dry air flows continuously. content is shown in Fig. 2. This curve is much more
Over a time interval of tn to tn+1, the fall in moisture descriptive of the drying process. Here the total part of
content of the solids is related to the increase in the curve constitutes the falling rate period. This is
humidity of the gas over the dryer from the inlet value because, the initial moisture content of solids is less
YGO to that in the offtake duct YGE. Then the moisture than the critical moisture content and the drying causes
content of the solids Xn+1 at tn+1 is given by dry spots to appear upon the surface; these spots occupy
increasingly larger proportion of the exposed surface as

390 ThETA3_010
 Drying Kinetics of Solids in Rotary Dryer, Avaneendra and Sai
drying proceeds. Since however, the rate is computed The effect of the rotational speed of dryer is shown in
by assuming constant gross surface, the rate must fall Fig. 5. With increase in rotational speed, at given
even though the rate per unit of wet surface remains moisture content of solids, fresh surface comes into
constant. This period is called unsaturated surface contact with dry air more often and hence the rate of
drying. drying increases.
The effect of flow rate of the drying medium on batch
0.35
drying of solids is shown in Fig.3. An increase in the
flow rate increases the rate of drying at given moisture
0.3

Rate of drying, kg/kg h

content of solids. This is because, with increasing air
flow rate, the amount of fresh and dry air which 0.25
evaporates the moisture from the surface increases and
hence the rate of drying increases. 0.2

0.15
0.5 N, rpm
0.1 12
Rate of drying, kg/kg.h )

0.4 0.05 7

0.3 0
0 0.02 0.04 0.06

0.2 Xo, kg/kg

V, cm/s
19.5 Figure 5. Variation of rate of drying with rotational
0.1 23.5 speed of the dryer at T = 52O C, V = 25.2 cm/s, Xo= 5%
25.2
3.2 Continuous drying of solids
0
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 A set of 24 experiments was conducted covering the
range as detailed in Table 1. Figure 6 shows the effect
Xo, kg/kg of the rotational speed of the dryer on average moisture
content of the solids in the exit stream with mean
Figure 3. Variation of drying rate with flow rate of residence time of solids wherein it can be seen that an
drying medium T = 65O C, N = 12 rpm and XO = 5 %. increase in rotational speed reduces the average
moisture content (or enhances the rate of drying of
solids). This observation is similar to that obtained in
0.4
batch drying.
Rate of drying, kg/kg.h

0.3 0.04
N, rpm
12
0.2 0.03
7
T,0C
x, kg/kg

52 0.02
0.1
65
75
0.01
0
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1
Xo, kg/kg 0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
Figure 4. Variation of drying rate with drying
temperature at V = 19.5cm/s, N = 12 rpm, Xo = 8 % Mean residence time, min

The effect of temperature of the heating medium on Figure 6. Effect of rotational speed of the dryer on
batch drying of solids is shown in Fig. 4. An increase average moisture content of the solids in the exit stream
in the temperature enhances the rate of drying at given at T = 52 OC, V = 19.5 cm/s, X0 = 3 %.
moisture content of solids as the driving force for Figure 7 shows the effect of temperature of the heating
drying increases. medium on average moisture content of the solids
exiting from the dryer. Each point corresponds to a

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 Drying Kinetics of Solids in Rotary Dryer, Avaneendra and Sai
mean holding time. It can be seen from the figure that the dryer is similar both in batch and continuous drying.
an increase in temperature reduces the average moisture Thus the experimental data from batch drying is used to
content of the solids in the exit stream (or enhances the make predictions using axial dispersion model for the
drying rate of the solids). average moisture content of the solids in the continuous
mode.
0.04
The average moisture content of solids in the exit
T,0C
stream from axial dispersion model is given by

0.03 65
52 X   X t b E t  dt (2)
0
75
x, kg/kg

Where E (t) is given by [7]

0.02
 1 / 2   1 
 1  Pe  1 1 / 2 

 4   
 3 / 2 Pe 1 / 2   1 

0.01 

2    Pe1   2 
C ( )  E ( )   E (t )      1  1  Pe1      exp
  (3)
 
    1  2   1 4 2
 

4 

   
0  1    
     
0 2 4 6 8 10  1   2    1  


Mean residence time, min  k
 ( )    1k  2 Pe1     k ( )
Figure 7. Effect of temperature of the heating medium k 0
on average moisture content of the solids in the exit  1 
k ( )  1.3.5...(2k  1)  6  4k  1 2 
stream at V = 19.5 m/s, N = 12 rpm, XO = 3 %.  2k  1 
Figure 8 shows the effect of air flow rate on average  (k 1) 21  2  k 
moisture content of the solids in the exit stream wherein
it can be seen that an increase in the air flow rate
 ( )  1k k  2 Pe1    Pe
 2 (1   ) 
k ( )  
 Pe 


k ( )

reduces the average moisture content (or enhances the
rate of drying of solids). This observation is also similar  k ( )  1.3.5.....(2k  1) 6  8(k  1) 
to that obtained in batch drying.
The above equation is an approximate form of the exact
0.04 solution to the axial dispersion model for an impulse
V, cm/s input. The axial convective velocity and the axial
dispersion coefficient are uniquely represented by the
0.03 23.5 dimensionless Peclet number (Pe). Even though multi
parameter models [8,9] are reported, this single
19.5 parameter model was selected because of its simplicity.
x, kg/kg

To use Eq. 3, it is necessary to evaluate the Peclet

0.02
number and the Pe given by Narasimhulu [10] on the
same equipment is

 0.000121 F 0.13 N 0.86 A1.94

0.01 1
(4)
Pe

The average moisture content of solids in the exit

0 stream calculated using the above equations is
0 2 4 6 8 10
Mean residence time, min
Figure 8. Effect of air flow rate on average moisture
content of the solids in exit stream at T = 52O C, N = 12
rpm, XO = 3 %
3.3 Comparison of the average moisture content of
the solids in the exit stream of the continuous dryer
with that predicted using the batch data and axial
dispersion model
The variation of drying process with operating variables
viz., initial moisture content of solids, flow rate and
temperature of the heating medium, rotational speed of
compared satisfactorily with experiments in Figs. 8 and
9 at two different sets of conditions.
The variation of average moisture content of solids with
clock time in batch drying under the same set of
conditions (rotational speed, air flow rate, inlet air
temperature and initial moisture content) as continuous
drying is also shown in Figs. 8 and 9. The batch dryer
was horizontal and continuous dryer was inclined. It is
seen from the figures that the batch drying gives lower
moisture content for the solids compared to that of a
continuous drying for a given residence time of solids.
This is because of lesser holdup of solids under batch
conditions and hence the bed height would be less and

392 ThETA3_010
 Drying Kinetics of Solids in Rotary Dryer, Avaneendra and Sai
the exposed area for drying would be less. The solids gives rise to higher moisture content in the solids
deviation is more at higher residence times. for a given time of drying

0.04
It is observed from the experimental data of the present
study on co-current drying of solids that the effect of
variables such as temperature and flow rate of the
heating medium and rotational speed of the dryer on
0.03 continuous
drying rate is qualitatively similar to that reported
batch earlier for batch drying of solids. An increase in the
model angle of inclination decreases the hold up of the solids;
x, kg/kg

0.02 the mean holding time defined as the ratio of solids hold
up to solids flow rate decreases with increase in angle of
inclination. An increase in the mean holding time
reduces the average moisture content of the solids in
0.01 exit stream.
Assuming axial mixing of solids within the rotary dryer,
the performance of the continuous dryer was predicted
0 based on batch drying rate curve and was found to
0 2 4 6 8 10 compare satisfactorily with that of the experimental data
Mean residence time, min obtained on the continuous dryer. Although four
operating parameters were considered in this work, few
Figure 9. Comparison of experimental and predicted were left out. They include the dam height, particle size
average moisture content of solids in the exit stream at and flow rate of solids.
T = 75O C, V = 19.5 cm/s, XO = 3 %, N = 12 rpm, F =
0.262 kg/min 5. Referencing
[1] O. Mykelstad, 1963, “Heat and mass transfer in rotary
0.04 dryers”, Chem. Eng. Progr., 59, pp. 129-137.
[2] G.R. Thorpe, 1972, “The mathematical modeling of
dryers”, Ph D Thesis, Univ. Nottingham.
[3] M. A. Gracia, and A. Ragazzo, 2000, “Mathematical
0.03 continuous modeling of continuous dryers using a mass transfer
batch properties and product–air equilibrium relation”, Drying
Technology, 18, pp. 67-75.
x, kg/kg

model [4] A. N. Chandran, S. Subba Rao, Y. B. G. Varma, 1990,

0.02
0.01
0 M.A.S. Barrozo, 2009, “Conventional and modified rotary
0 5 10 15
Mean residence time, min
Figure 10. Comparison of experimental and predicted
average moisture content of solids in the exit stream at
T = 65O C, V = 19.5 cm/s, XO = 3 %, N = 7 rpm, F=
0.262 kg/min
4. CONCLUSIONS
Batch drying experiments were conducted in a
horizontal rotary dryer for obtaining kinetics at different
operating conditions viz., inlet air temperature, flow rate
of the air, rotational speed of the dryer and inlet
moisture content of the solids. It is observed that as the
inlet air temperature or flow rate of the air or the
rotational speed of the dryer increases, the rate of drying
increases. Among the above three variables, the effect
of inlet air temperature is more predominant. In
addition, an increase in the initial moisture content of
“Fluidized bed drying of solids”, AIChE J., 36, pp. 29-36.
[5] A. Iguaz, A. Esnoz, G. Martinez, A. Lopez and P.
Vırseda, 2003, “Mathematical modelling and simulation
for the drying process of vegetable wholesale by-
products in a rotary dryer”, J. Food Eng., 59, pp. 151–
160.
[6] E.B. Arruda, J.M.F. Facanha, L.N. Pires, A.J. Assis,
dryer: Comparison of performance in fertilizer drying”,
Chem. Eng. and Processing, 48, pp. 1414–1418.
[7] A.Z.A. Abouzeid, T.S. Mika, K.V. Sastry and D.W.
Fuerstenau, 1974, “The influence of operating variables
on the residence time distribution for material transport in
a continuous rotary drum”, Powder Technol., 10, pp. 273-
288.
[8] P.S.T. Sai, G.D. Surender and A.D. Damodaran, 1990,
“Residence time distribution and material flow studies in
rotary kiln”, Met. Trans. B, 21B, pp. 1005-1011.
[9] V. Loni Dinesh and P.S.T. Sai, 2004, “A model for
residence time distribution of solids in a rotary kiln”, Can.
J. Chem. Eng. 82, pp. 392-398.
[10]M. Narasimhulu, 2000, “Studies on residence time
distribution in rotary kiln”, M. S. thesis, IIT Madras.
6. Nomenclature
A angle of inclination of dryer, deg
E (t) residence time distribution of solids, 1/min,
F mass flow rate of the solids, kg/min
G mass flow rate of the air, kg/min
MO amount of solids placed in batch rotary dryer, kg
N rotational speed of the dryer, rpm

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 Drying Kinetics of Solids in Rotary Dryer, Avaneendra and Sai
Pe Peclet number
T temperature, OC
t time, min
tm mean residence time, min
V air velocity, m/s
XO initial moisture content of the solids, kg of
moisture/kg of dry solids
Xn moisture content of the solids at time tn, kg of
moisture/kg of dry solids
YGO humidity of the gas at the outlet at time t = 0, kg
of moisture/kg of dry air
YGE humidity of the gas at the outlet at time t, kg of
moisture /kg of dry air
θ dimensionless time, t/ tm

394 ThETA3_010