Determination of temperature profiles inside fruits and vegetables during the process of Ddying

he purpose of this research work was to model the phenomenon of heat transfer across various fruits and vegetables during the process of drying with the aid of modern computational modelling and simulation techniques. The outcomes of the analysis were the temperature profiles across perishable crops during their drying process and rate of heat transfer. A mathematical model was developed using the equations for different modes of heat transfer and for different geometries of fruits and vegetables. This mathematical model was then incorporated with proper system characteristics and valid assumptions to simulate the phenomenon in MATLAB with an accordingly developed program. Via the simulation, the rates of heat transfer were calculated and temperature profiles were plotted. Eventually, the implications of the study, its possible contribution for further related research work and the ways of improving such an analysis were discussed. KEYWORDS: Drying, temperature profiles, rate of heat transfer, fruits & vegetables, modelling & simulation, energy efficienc

Modeling, simulation and optimization of a heat exchanger network for Mmximum energy eficiency and minimum cost

Heat Exchangers are one of the major items of equipment applied in combination with almost all the unit operations in the process industry. Therefore, optimizing heat exchangers would be an ideal solution for the problem of increasing energy costs in the industry. Pinch analysis can be used to identify minimum energy cost and energy efficient heat exchanger networks through the recognition of pinch point as referred to the temperature profile of the process at which the minimum level of allowable temperature difference is achieved. The pinch analysis first predicts the minimum requirement of external energy, heat exchanger network area and the number of units for the typical process at the pinch point. Then, the heat exchanger network design that satisfies the minimum energy target is synthesized. Finally, it is optimized by comparing the energy cost and the capital cost. Pinch analysis to reduce external utility loads can be performed in special computer software packages for even rigorous heat exchanger networks. The prime objective of this research is to utilize a computer aided modelling and simulation approach to provide a generalized methodology for the optimization of a heat exchanger network through pinch analysis for a typical distillation column