Equilibrium Moisture and Drying Kinetics Modelling of Macroalgae Species <i>Ulva ohnoi</i> and <i>Oedogonium intermedium</i>

Algae-based products have applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries, bioremediation of waste streams and biofuel production. Drying has been recognised to constitute the largest energy cost in algae processing, yet there is limited data or modelling characterising the drying kinetics of...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Craig Walker, Andrew Cole, Elsa Antunes, Madoc Sheehan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-06-01
Series:Clean Technologies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2571-8797/2/2/15
Description
Summary:Algae-based products have applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries, bioremediation of waste streams and biofuel production. Drying has been recognised to constitute the largest energy cost in algae processing, yet there is limited data or modelling characterising the drying kinetics of macroalgae. This research modelled the equilibrium moisture content of two macroalgae species, <i>Ulva ohnoi</i>, a saltwater alga and <i>Oedogonium intermedium</i>, a freshwater alga. The Guggenheim–Anderson–de Boer model was found to best represent experimental equilibrium moisture contents. Drying rate curves obtained under both convective and radiative conditions were fitted to an analytical solution of Fick’s second law, including the modelled equilibrium moisture values. Effective diffusivity values for the two species are presented.
ISSN:2571-8797