| This paper presents a mathematical modelling of thin layer drying of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). To this end, two different methods are used to dehydrate tomato slices namely the solar drying (in an indirect solar dryer), and the forced convective drying (in a convective dryer). In the solar dryer, the experiments are carried out at a constant air velocity of 1 m/s and average temperatures of 37.2, 39.9, 42.5 °C. In the convective dryer, the experiments are performed with five different temperatures (30, 40, 50, 60 and 70 °C) at a constant air velocity of 1 m/s. In order to estimate and select the appropriate drying curve equation, fifteen different thin layer mathematical drying models available in the literature are applied to the experimental... |
