Optimization of Nonlinear Parameters Used To Model Rice Drying

• Activity Number: 453
• Type: Contributed
• Date/Time: Wednesday, August 6, 2008 : 2:00 PM to 3:50 PM
• Sponsor: Biometrics Section
• Author(s): Andy Mauromoustakos*+ and Terry Siebenmorgen and Vir Gayanilo and Rasty Bautista
• Companies: University of Arkansas and University of Arkansas and University of Arkansas and University of Arkansas
• Keywords: nonlinear modeling ; Page Equation ; Optimization

Abstract

Rice drying is an energy-intensive, time-critical, and quality-sensitive operation. Thus, rapid drying with the least cost, without incurring quality losses, is of great interest to the rice industry. High temperature fluidized bed drying offers fast and uniform drying of granular products such as rice. This study was conducted to use nonlinear regression modeling to quantify rice drying rates using air temperatures (T) ranging from (60-90 degrees C) in combination with air relative humidities (RH) ranging from (7-75%), using a specialized drying chamber. The study determines the rates and the rice equilibrium moisture content (EMC), and all other important nonlinear parameters using Page's nonlinear model and subsequently explores the experimental region for the ideal inputs that would provide the Rice industry with the desired T and RH settings.