Course Number: ChE-302

Course Title: Chemical Engineering Laboratory-II

Experiment Number: 04
Name of the Experiment: Drying of solids

Submitted by:

Submitted to:

Mahe Rukh

Dr. Md. Tanvir Sowgath

Student Number: 1202036

Assistant Professor

Section: A2

Department of Chemical
Engineering

Group Number: 02

Department of Chemical Engineering

BUET

BUET
Partners Student Numbers: 1202037

Date of

1202038 Performance:10 /
1202039 10/15
1202040 Date of Submission:
31/10/15

Summary

Drying of solid is of great importance in industrial production and in chemical

engineering application. Various kind of process for drying are of day to day use in
various fields. That is why conducting this experiment is very effective as it gave us
vivid idea of the phenomena- drying of solids e.g. sand. For this purpose, two trays
were used. Sand was first poured on them and then water was mixed. In a vacuum
dryer the trays were heated and moisture content from sand was removed by steam
supplied from steam generator where the flow rate of steam was maintained at
30psi. After every five minute trays were drawn out and moisture content in them
was calculated by weighing their weight and comparing it to initial weight of tray
and sand. From the collected data drying rate, moisture content was measured and
graphs were drawn focusing drying characteristics of sand.

Introduction
The removal of relatively small amounts of water or other liquid to reduce the content of
remaining liquid to acceptably low amount in a solid matter is known as drying of solids. this is a
mass transfer process were liquid is removed by means of evaporation. So, we can see drying of
solids need both mass transfer and heat transfer simultaneously. A source of heat and an agent is
involved in this process. Most commonly, a gas stream such as air applies the heat by convection
and carries away the liquid in solid as vapor.
There are various methods of drying e.g. direct drying, indirect drying, dielectric drying, freeze
drying, supercritical drying and natural drying. During thermal drying two things occur at a time.
Transfer of moisture content from internal space to solid surface with subsequent evaporation
and Transfer of heat to raise the wet solid temperature and to evaporate the moisture content. The
drying rate depends on how these two processes proceed. Heat transfer process occurs due to
conduction, convection or radiation mode of heat flow or in some cases as a result of a
combination of any of these effects. In our experiment we have used indirect method of drying
where it is important to have the maximum contact between heated dryer metal surfaces and the
solid undergoing drying and maximum movement at areas of contact. Here, the drying operation
does not depend upon the effect of convection from heated air or gases. Air flow through such

dryer is only required to remove moisture as vapor from the system as it is liberated in the course
of drying.
External conditions such as temperature, humidity, water velocity relates with drying of solids.
Theoretical models often consider not only external conditions but also the mechanisms of
internal moisture movement and its consequent effect. The solids fed to dryer can be in the form
of flakes, granular, crystals and may have widely different properties. There are over 100 distinct
types of dryers. Of them tray dryer is most common. Tray dryer is one kind of batch dryer which
can handle both direct drying and indirect drying. The dryer operates under a vacuum, and heat
transfer is largely by conduction or by radiation. The trays are enclosed in a big cabinet, which is
evacuated. Water vapor produced is usually condensed, so that the vacuum pumps need only to
deal with non-condensable gases.

Experimental work
The following things were used in this experiment1. Two trays
2. Sand
3. Water
4. Vacuum pump
5. Vacuum dryer

Figure 01: A schematic diagram of vacuum dryer

Figure -02: Schematic diagram of vacuum dryer.

Procedure

1. At first the weight of the two empty trays were taken.

2. Tray weight with sand was taken. Then water was added to moisten the sand and trays were
reweighted.
4

 3. Trays were vacuum dried by putting inside the drier.

4. At an interval of five minutes vacuum drying was stopped by releasing vacuum drying to
take the reading of weight of tray containing sand and water
5. Reading was taken until constant weight readings were achieved.
6. Data for calculation were noted.

Observed Data
Weight of each empty tray = 6.5 lbm
Tray 1
Weight of Tray + sand = 14 lbm
Weight of Tray + sand + water = 15 lbm
Tray 2
Weight of Tray + sand = 15.0 lbm
Weight of Tray + sand + water = 16.5 lbm

Table 1: Representing weight of Tray +Sand + Water at different time

No of
Obs

Time

Weight ( lbm)

of

Weight(lbm) of

(min)

Tray 1+Sand+Water

Tray 2 +Sand+ Water

01.

14.88

16.31

02.

10

14.75

16.07

03.

15

14.50

15.81

04.

20

14.25

15.68

05.

25

14.19

15.50

06.

30

14.13

15.25

07.

35

14.00

15.13

08.

40

14.00

15.00

09.

45

14.00

15.00
5

Calculated data
Table 2: Drying Rate and Moisture Content of Tray 1 at Different Time

Observation No.

Time
(Min)

Moisture
decrease rate

Drying rate, R Moisture content

C =(W0-Wt)/t

lb/ft2.min

lb water/ lb solid

lb/min
1

0.024

.0090

0.117

10

0.026

0.010

0.10

15

0.05

0.0183

0.067

20

0.05

0.0183

0.033

25

0.012

0.0044

0.025

30

0.012

0.0044

0.0173

35

0.026

0.0096

0.0

40

0.0

0.0

0.0

45

0.0

0.0

0.0

Table 3: Drying Rate and Moisture Content of Tray 2 at Different Time

Observation No.

Time

(Min)

Moisture
decrease rate
C =(W0-Wt)/t

Drying rate, R

Moisture content

lb/ft2.min

lb water/ lb solid

lb/min
1

0.038

0.0140

0.154

10

0.048

0.0177

0.125

15

0.052

0.0191

0.095

20

0.026

0.0096

0.080

25

0.036

0.0132

0.059

30

0.05

0.0183

0.029

35

0.024

0.0088

0.015

40

0.026

0.0096

0.0

45

0.0

0.0

0.0

Sample calculation
Calculation for observation no 1 of tray 1:
Initial weight of sand+ tray 1+ water after 5 min, W0 = 14.88 lb
Weight of sand+ tray+ water after 10 min, Wt = 14.75 lb
Moisture decrease rate , C= (Wo-Wt)/time= (14.88-14.75)/5
= 0.026 lb/min
Area of tray 1,

A = 29x 13.5 inch2

= 391.5 inch2
= 2.71875 ft2

Drying rate

R= C/A

0.0125
2.71875

lb/min ft2

= 0.0096 lb/min ft2

Moisture content =

lb of water
lb of dry solid

= (weight of sand+ water+ tray at 5 minutes)-(weight of sand+ tray)

(initial weight of sand + tray)- (weight of tray)
= (14.8814)/ (14-6.5)
=0.1173
7

Graphical representation

Graph 01: Drying rate versus time

Graph 02: Moisture content vs time

Graph-03 : Drying rate versus moisture content

Results

In case of both Tray 1 & Tray 2 100% removal of the moisture was observed. For
tray-1 moisture content reduced to zero after 35 minutes and for tray-2 it took 40
minutes.

Discussion
Discussion on result
Moisture decrease rate should have been same for two tray-1 and tray-2 for same number of
observations as they were dried in same dryer. But from data it is seen that they are not same.

Discussion on graphs
By using the calculated data, following three graphs are drawn for both trays:
1) Plot of Drying rate vs. Time
2) Plot of Moisture Content vs. Time
3) Plot of Drying Rate vs. Moisture Content
Plot of Drying Rate vs. Time
the drying rate increased for some times at first, then started decreasing and finally became
constant in both cases. But drying rate does not decrease with decreasing of moisture content,
nevertheless drying rate fluctuate too much
Plot of Moisture Content vs. Time
From graphs 1 and 2, we see that moisture content decreases with time as usual and
consequently it becomes zero which was supposed to be obtained.
Plot of Drying Rate vs. Moisture Content
There should have been constant drying period but from graphs we see there was not any.
Errors that may have occurred in the experiment-

10

1.

the pressure gauge that measured steam pressure showed fluctuations during the
experiment but the flow rate should have been constant.

2. The measuring device was operated manually and weight measured using this device may
have caused inaccuracy.
3. The trays were taken out in every 5 minutes. So there is chances that some moisture was
lost during weight measurement.
4. In the vacuum dryer maintaining constant pressure was a struggle. So it affected heat
transfer between the wet solid and steam. Also vacuum could not be maintained perfectly
as the door of the dryer had to be opened and thus air entered the dryer every time and it
was difficult to evacuate it by the vacuum pump so fast, so the drying conditions might
have changed.
5. During the mixing some weight loss may have occurred and even a small loss of sand
particle may cause error in the experiment.

Ways to improve the experiment1. Mixing should be done with care

2. Using digital weight measuring device instead of manual one.
3.

Constant pressure at both steam inlet to dryer and in the vacuum dryer should be
maintained.

Nomenclature
Symbol

Name

A
C
Ft
lbm

Area of the tray

Moisture Decreasing rate
Feet
Pound mass
11

Unit
(If Applicable)
ft2
lbm/min
-

T
W

Time
Moisture Content

minute
lbm/ lbm

References
1. Foust, Alan S.; Wenzel, Leonard A.; Clump, Curtis W.; Maus, Louis; and
Andersen, L. Brice: Principles of Unit Operations, 2nd ed., John Wiley & Sons,
New York, 1994.
2. McCabe, Warren L.; Smith, Julian C.; and Harriott, Peter: Unit Operations of
Chemical Engineering, 6th ed., McGraw-Hill, New York, 2001.
3. Genskow,

L.R.;

Beimesch,W.E.;

Hecht,

J.P.;

Kemp,I.C.;

Langrish,T.;

Schwartzbach, C.; Smith: Chemical Engineers' Handbook. Mc Graw Hill

Professional,2007.
4. Drying, Wikipedia, Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drying
5. Industrial and engineering chemistry, ACS publications ,Retrieved from
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ie50238a021

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Marking Scheme: Normal Report

Name: Mahe Rukh
Student number: 1202036
Section and marks allocated
Summary(1)
Introduction (1)
Experimental Work (1.5)
Observed Data (1)
Calculated Data (1)
Sample Calculation (1)
Graphs (1)
Results and Discussion (1)
References and Nomenclature (0.5)
Writing Quality and Style (1)
Total (10)

Marks

13

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