A Comparative Study on Exergetic Performance Assessment for Drying of Broccoli Florets in Three Different Drying Systems

Abstract

This article deals with the exergy analysis and evaluation of broccoli in three different drying systems. The effects of drying air temperature on the exergy destruction, exergy efficiency, and exergetic improvement potential of the drying process were investigated. The exergy destruction rate for the drying chamber increased with the rise in the drying air temperature at 1.5 m/s, both in the tray and the heat pump dryer. The highest exergy efficiency value was obtained as 90.86% in the fluid bed dryer in comparison to the other two drying systems and the improvement potential rate was the highest in the heat pump dryer during drying of broccoli at the drying air temperature of 45°C and the drying air velocity of 1.0 m/s. © 2010 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.