Description
ABSTRACT
This study was carried out to generate a design data, design and fabricate amaize corn-on-cob tray dryer used by maize farmers. Ripped maize corns with husks were bought from the market and preserved to retained its moisture content, dehusked and thereafter, dried to a given percentage moisture content of 15%. This was done by laboratory dryer. The drying rate data was generated and the high rate of 2.0g/hr was used afterwards to design and fabricate the corn-on-cob dryer. From the results, drying of a sample of maize corn-on-cob by the laboratory dryer took a period of three days and six hours to reach the 15% moisture content (wet basis) needed. A test run was carried out on the fabricated dryer and seventeen hours was used to dry a sample of maize corn-on-cob to the same 15% moisture content. This implies that design data is satisfactory as its application in the fabrication of the dryer resulted in an increased flow rate of air in the dryer thereby increasing the rate of drying at the same drying temperature of 40oC.
NOMENCLATURE
Twb Wet bulb temperature
Tdb Dry bulb temperature
Mwb Moisture content on wet basis
Mdb Moisture content on dry basis
MO Initial moisture content (Dry basis)
Wo initial weight of undried product (kg)
W Weight of water removed (kg)
Wd Weight of dry matter in product (kg)
A Total area of the drying surface (m2)
Ha Heat transfer coefficient
Ta Inlet temperature of air after being heated up
Td Drying chamber temperature
𝛌 Latent heat of vaporization of moisture at Td0C(Cal/mol)
G Mass velocity of air (Kg/ s.m2)
De Equivalent diameter of the air flow channel (m)
TABLE OF CONTENT
Title page
Certification
Dedication
Acknowledgement
Abstract
Nomenclature
Table of content
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of study
1.2 Statement of the problem
1.3 Objective of the research project
1.4 Significance of the research
1.5 Scope of the research
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Maize farming in Nigeria
2.2 Drying
2.2.1 Some basic definitions on drying
2.2.2 Drying rates
2.2.3 Classification of dryers
2.2.4 Tray dryer
CHAPTER THREE
MATERIALS AND METHODS
3.1 Sourcing and preservation of the raw material
3.2 Drying
3.2.1 Maize corn-on-cob bone drying
3.2.2 Generation of dryer design data from maize corn-on-cobs
3.3 Dryer design and materials of fabrication
3.4 Design considerations
3.5 Test running of the dryer
CHAPTER FOUR
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
4.1 Result
4.2 Discussion
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary
5.2 Conclusion
5.3 Recommendation
REFERENCES
APPENDICES
Appendix A (Graphs)
Appendix B (Tables)
Appendix C (Calculations