Diseño de un secador de bandejas para la deshidratación del plátano (Musa aab) en la empresa la molienda “San Luis”

Abstract

The milling company "San Luis" obtains different types of flour (machica wheat, machica morocho, machica barley, machica mix, bean, pea, soybean, quinoa, banana, rye, beans, cassava, rice, almonds, oats, chickpea and amaranth), For this purpose, the traditional roasting process is carried out, which does not always efficiently reduce the percentage of humidity for certain raw materials, as is the case of plantain, which generates difficulties in milling, and due to poor drying, the motor tends to overheat, which generates economic losses and downtime. Therefore, the objective of this project was to design a tray dryer for the dehydration of plantain (Musa aab) in the milling company "San Luis", which was developed at laboratory level for subsequent sizing; the simulation of drying at 40 ºC, 50 ºC, 60 ºC and 70 ºC was started, determining that the ideal temperature for an efficient drying is 50 ºC and thus finding the equilibrium humidity 0.028 kg water/kg dry solid and the critical humidity 0.282 kg water/kg dry solid; with these results the dimensioning of the equipment for a load of 15 kg of banana was made and it was deduced that the dryer will have a height of 0.952 m, length 0.984 m and width 0.686 m which will consist of 5 trays, length 0.85 m and width 0.54 m. According to the engineering calculations, the resistance required for air heating will have a power of 988.6 W and by means of a fan of 1700 rpm the air will circulate inside the drying chamber, 54m. According to the engineering calculations the resistance required for the air heating will be of a power of 981.6 W and by means of a fan of 1700 rpm; the air circulation will be given inside the dryer chamber, as insulator glass wool will be used giving a useful heat of 98074.4 W. It is recommended not to ignore the temperature at which the raw material must be dried to obtain a quality product.