Lateef A. Sanni^1,, Oluseyi O. Oke¹, Faborode M. Oladimeji¹, Kolawole F. Ogbozomivaze²

In this study the thermal properties and drying behaviour of cassava meal in a conductive rotary dryer was investigated. Cassava flour and gelatinized gari were produced at drying temperatures of 70°C and 90°C, respectively. The activation energy of cassava meal was 49.52 kJ/mol, and the effective moisture diffusivity, thermal conductivity and heat capacity increased with temperature from 1.74x10^-10 to 4.51x10^-10 m²/s, 0.329 to 0.344 W/m°C and 1.804 to 1.901 kJ/kg°C, respectively. With increase in bulk density of cassava meal from 379.50±2.55 to 464.79±30.38 kg/m³, thermal diffusivity and specific energy consumption decreased from 4.81x10^-7 to 3.89x10^-7 m²/s and 618.88 to 456 kJ/kg, respectively. The thermal efficiency of the dryer was greater than 31% for both cassava flour and gari. Compared with previous works, performance of the conductive rotary dryer was satisfactory and upgrade of its design will make it suitable for application in the cassava processing industry.

thermal properties, energy consumption, cassava meal, conductive rotary dryer