Validation of thin layer drying models in solar-powered air-inflated grain dryer

Cereals are generally harvested at 20-23% moisture content to avoid shattering losses therefore it is necessary dry the paddy lower contents (13-14% wb) for safe storage and further processing.A solar-powered airinflated grain dryer was designed, fabricated tested drying of paddy. Different combinations obtained from two different levels upper transparent polyethylene sheet thickness (200 microns 300 microns), inlet air velocity (1.5 m/s 3 m/s) bed depth (2cm 4cm) were compared based on parameters thermal efficiency, rise in temperature amount removed per unit time. It found that least square mean values rate developed varied 18.7-45.7%, 3.35-5.81°C 0.36-0.98 kg/hour respectively. Upper (300 micron), (3 (4 cm) have highest selected optimized operation dryer. Eight thin layer models according their coefficient determination estimate kinetics as criteria evaluating goodness-of-fit. The effects variables model constants coefficients predicted by models. page fit well with experimental data satisfactorily describe Pusa Basmati (PB 1121) a (R2) 0.9995 RMSE 0.005464.