Diseño y construcción de un liofilizador para el secado de la remolacha azucarera (Beta vulgaris var. saccharifera)

Abstract

The methods used were the inductive method where beets were collected from the different markets of the city. The deductive method was based on fundamentals and calculations for the design, construction and validation of the equipment. A simulation of the drying process was carried out in a tray dryer in the aforementioned laboratory, where the values that served as reference for the design and construction of the freeze dryer were obtained. The equipment designed and constructed consists of materials resistant to the conditions required for its operation: AISI 304 and 316 stainless steel cut and welded according to the design, a cylindrical body with a hermetic seal of 49 cm long, external diameter of 38.5 cm, internal diameter of 29.5 cm, in its interior it has 3 perforated trays, One small tray of 643 cm2 and two large trays of 1026 cm2, an electric mantle that allows the heat exchange of 1100 watts and 110 volts, to obtain the optimum vacuum a 110 volt motor is used to operate a thermostat and the vacuum pump of hp and 110 volts. The equipment has the respective pressure and temperature indicators. The freeze dryer operates at a temperature of 600C, a load of 5 kg, pressure of -0.6 psi, with which, a dry product was obtained with a critical humidity of 0.6 kg dry solids/kg water, constant drying speed of 0.038 kg/hm2, decreasing speed of 0.057 kg/hm2, anticritical drying time of 1.66 h, postcritical drying time of 3.07 h. Thus, the performance of the equipment was 89%. We conclude that our equipment fulfills the function of drying in less time, maintaining the nutritional properties of the product to be dehydrated.