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A SIMPLE MODEL FOR RICE GRAINS IN A

DEEP-BED DRYER
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A SIMPLE MODEL FOR RICE GRAINS IN A DEEP-BED DRYER

Jorge Martnez Garreiro1*, Sandra Kahan2, Berta Zecchi1, Patricia Gerla1, Leonardo Clavijo1
and Arturo Rodrguez1
1
Departmento de Operaciones Unitarias en Ing. Qumica e Ing. de Alimentos Instituto de Ing. Qumica
2
Instituto de Fsica
Facultad de Ingeniera, Universidad de la Repblica, Montevideo, Uruguay
Abstract. A simple model with simultaneous heat and mass transfer during rice drying in a deep-bed has
been developed. The model proposes two control volumes: the grain where moisture is at liquid phase and
the humid air outside the kernel. Moisture from grain needs latent and sensible heat to enter the air phase.
The model proposes this phase change takes place at the air control volume. The model is solved considering
successive thin layer, and few parameters are required. We compare computational results with experimental
data for outlet temperature and moisture average content during drying of a rice variety called Tacuar in a
deep bed dryer. Three temperatures from 40 to 90C were assayed. The accumulative error obtained for
average moisture of grain varied from 1.01 to 3.76 C and for the outlet temperature from 0.99 to 2.29%. The
outlet temperature and the average moisture of the grain calculated from the simulation are greater than the
experimental ones. Maximum absolute error for temperature and moisture, used to appear at the earliest times
of the simulation. According with the magnitude of errors obtained the model is a good description of the
process of rice drying in a deep-bed.
Keywords: rice, deep bed, simulation

1. Introduction
In rice drying humidity, heat and momentum transfer in the air phase and moisture transport inside the grain,
need to be taken account simultaneously. Grains drying in cross flows deep-bed dryers are modeled on the
assumption that the grain bed can be modeled as a series of thin layers perpendiculars to the flow air direction.
Inlet air flows across the system, heats the grain by convection and transports moisture, coming from the grain,
out of the bed.
Recently several authors presented mathematical models to predict temperature and moisture profiles in the
deep-bed and inside the grain. Some models assume drying in steady state (Felipe, 2003) or a pseudo-steady
state process, considering time dependence for the diffusion equation inside the grain and time independence
for the energy and mass conservation equations balances (Madhiyanon, 2002; Wongwises, 2000). Other models
take account the heat transfer by conduction process inside the grain (Jia, 2000). Istadi and Sitompul (2002)
present a complete mathematical and numerical model for corn, which applies the Navier-Stokes momentum
equation to the flow in a porous media together with heat and mass balances for both phases of a heterogeneous
system, but several experimental parameters are needed to validate the model.
In this paper a simple two phases model for deep-bed drying of rice have been developed, considering
simultaneous heat and mass transfer. The model proposes that the system is a heterogeneous with two controls
volumes: the grain where moisture is at liquid phase and the humid air outside the kernel. Pulled moisture from

Jorge Martnez Garreiro

Address: Instituto de Ingeniera Qumica, Facultad de Ingeniera, Universidad de la Repblica, Julio Herrera y Reissig
565; Montevideo- Uruguay CC30, CP 11300
Email: garreiro@fing.edu.uy

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grain needs latent and sensible heat to enter the air phase. The model proposes that the phase change takes place
at the air control volume and computational results are compared with experimental data obtained in a cross flow
deep-bed dryer with a local rice variety called Tacuar.

2. Model Development
To model the grain deep-bed drying process, the deep bed was discretized in several thin layers. The heated
air flux (wa) enters the deep bed from the bottom at z = 0, flows across the system and leaves at the top where z
= L. Two phases can be distinguished at each thin layer: the grain phase and the air phase. Uniform temperature
distribution across the grain phase was assumed because the heat Biot number is less than 0.1, but temperature
changes with thin layer position (z) and time. There exist a thermal boundary layer and an interphase condition
to match the continuity of temperatures. The Biot number for mass is greater than 100, so it can be considered
that the concentration boundary layer is too thin to take it into account so we assume the moisture at the air
phase has a uniform profile at each thin layer. In this model, the interphase between the two phases is located on
the grain surface. The latent heat needed to evaporate liquid is computed in the humid air energy conservation
equation.
To predict the average moisture time evolution in the grain phase within each thin layer, a diffusion equation
has been taken with spherical symmetry (Madhiyanon, 2002).
Chen& Pei (1989) have pointed there are three main mechanisms to model the moisture transfer within an
hydroscopic porous material exposed to a convective surface condition: capillary flow of free water, movement
of liquid bound water and vapour transfer. When free water content at the surface is greater than a critical value
(approx. 30% of the saturated free water) a constant rate drying appears and mass transfer does not depend on
the inner moisture but on the outer conditions. This stage is followed by a first falling rate where the main drive
mechanism is the capillary flow of free water. The last stage appears when moisture is less than maximum
irreducible water content Xirr and, at this stage (calling the second falling rate) bounded water moves to the
surface and vapour flows through the voids of porous material. For food products bound water refers to cellular
water and no free water diffusion appears (Elbert, 2001).
From this point of view, drying process inside the grain requires a two phase model. Wang and Beckermann
(1993) has pointed isothermal two phase flows (without phase change) can be reduced to liquid flow equation.
In addition, at the second falling rate period, diffusion of bound water take place. Diffusion coefficient is
dependent on temperature with Arrhenius type functionality, while different correlations were proposed to
reflect the moisture content dependence of this coefficient (Zogzas, 1996; Elbert, 2001). Mass transfer equation
at the second falling rate period is given by

X
= .(D( X , TS )X )
t

(1)

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Taking account the deep bed itself is a granular porous media we choose the simplest correlation, used at
geothermal system with success (Sondergeld, 1977), Eq. (2), with an Arrhenius function for temperature
dependence, Eq. (3):

X X eq
Dbed = D0
X X
eq
ms

(2)

E
D0 = D1 exp a
RT

(3)

In Eq. (2), Xms is the maximum sorptive water content and coincides with initial moisture content Xo
(Chen,1989), while the equilibrium moisture, Xeq, can be calculated by a Chung-Pfost type isotherm (Basunia,
1999):

X eq = C1 C 3 ln C 4 (Tg + C 2 )ln ( )

(4)

The conservation mass equation states that the moisture loosed by the grain phase enters to air phase:

H
X
= a wa
ss
z
t

(5)

On the other hand, we must apply the energy conservation equation to each thin layer. Inlet moisture air lost
sensible heat to increase rice temperature, to evaporate water coming from the grain and to increase its
temperature from Ts to Tg. This energy balance is given by:

a wa (c pa + c pv H )

Tg
z

= ss (c ps + c pw )

Ts
H
a wa l v (Ts ) + c pv (Tg Ts )
t
z

(6)

Madhiyanon et al. (2001) have pointed that this equation can be divided in two parts, through a convection
coefficient and an effective area which take account the temperature difference between the grain an the air
phase.
The model states a volumetric pseudo-convective heat transfer coefficient, (ha)eff, that mediated the change
of the rice temperature (solid and liquid phase), defined by:

(ha )eff (Tg Ts ) = ss (c ps + c pw X ) Ts

t

(7)

while we have the following equation to modelling the temperature changes on the air phase:

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(c

pa

+ c pv H )

Tg
z

(ha )eff
a wa

(T

] Hz

Ts ) l v (Ts ) + c pv (Tg Ts )

(8)

This equation states that moisture coming from the grain evaporate at the humid air phase itself. As we show
later, simulation results are more robust in front of this pseudo-convection coefficient (ha)eff so this model solve
the problem of choose a correlation for the heat transfer coefficient. On the other hand, this idea resembles the
evaporative cooling which has been pointed by Thompson et al. (1968), although they supposed grain and air
are at thermal equilibrium. The model takes account that grain must not be in thermal equilibrium with air, at
least, on the earliest steps of the experiment.

3. Parameters Determination
Diffusion parameters (D0, Ea, D1) in Eq. (3) were estimated running several thin layer experiment for
different inlet air conditions (temperature and relative humidity). For the thin layer of grain, we apply the same
mass transfer equation (Eq. (1)) but changing the dependence of diffusion coefficient (D tl) during drying
process. We propose a time-dependent diffusion coefficient for a thin layer (Alvarez and Leguez, 1986), as:

D t
Dtl = D0 1 + 02
R0

(9)

In this way, the model takes account that diffusion process is a function of moisture content inside the grain.
In the case of a thin layer of grain, with diffusion given by the Eq. (9), the mass transfer equation admits an
analytical solution for the moisture average in a spherical geometry with fixed boundary condition at the grain
surface: X(r=R0) = Xeq

X (t ) X eq
X 0 X eq

m 2 2 D b +1
6 1
1 + 02 t 1
= 2 2 exp
m =1 m
b
1
R0
+

(10)

where X0 is the initial moisture of the solid and Xeq is the moisture at equilibrium, calculated using Eq. (4).
Using Eq. (9) for diffusion coefficient variation, the model implicitly takes account that the diffusion
process is a function of moisture content inside the grain, while Eq. (3) shows that diffusion coefficient vary not
only with moisture content but also with temperature in a Arrhenius type dependence. Diffusion parameters (D0,
b) in Eq.(9) were estimated running several thin layer experiment for different inlet air temperatures and D(t)
values were calculated from Eq. (9) for different values of diffusion parameters (D0, b). For a constant inlet air
temperature, Eq. (9) shows that D(t) decreases due to b < 0. This property assures, as time goes on, that moisture
content must decrease slower than in a drying process with constant diffusion coefficient during the falling rate
period. Figure 1 shows the variation of diffusion coefficient D(t) with drying time, represented by Fourier
4

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number in abscissa (Fo= Dot/R2o), where the diffusion parameters were determined by fitting Eq. (9) with
experimental data as it was indicated above.

6.0

11

D ex10 , (m /s)

Diffusion coefficient

7.0

5.0

T=41.0C

4.0

T=57.8C
T=81.8C

3.0
2.0
1.0
0.0
0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

Fourier number, Fo
Fig. 1 Diffusion coefficient dependence

If we choose the same values for D1 and Ea to model the deep bed behavior with a diffusion coefficient given
by Eq. (9), we observe that Ro is no longer the equivalent grain radius but an effective radius for the whole thin
layer and can be applied for each one of the thin layers in which the deep bed was discretized.

4. Computation Performance
At each time the algorithm solves the Eqs. (1) to (4), (7) and (8), using a computational FORTRAN program
for numerical solving of the simultaneous equations. Deep-bed is divided in 128 thin layers to compute Eq.(1)
by Cranck-Nicholson scheme for each one of these layers, taking an initial random condition for the average
moisture at each layer, around its initial average experimental value X0:

X 1 ( z,t = 0 ) = X 0 (1 + 0.1 rand [ 1,1])

(11)

To compute the Cranck-Nicholson scheme, each sphere is divided in 50 nodes with same weight and with
an initial random condition in each node to model inhomogeneous moisture content inside the grain kernel:

X s0 ( z,t = 0 ) = X 1 (1 + 0.01 rand [ 1,1])

(12)

and the following boundary conditions:

t = 0, 0 < r < R0 X = X s 0 (r )
t > 0, r = R0 X = X eq
X
=0
t , r = 0
r

(13)
5

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Following Chen & Pei (1989) maximum sorptive moisture Xms was taken as the initial moisture content X0.
Equations (2), (3) and (7) were computed by 4th order Runge-Kutta scheme, with the following boundary
conditions:

t = 0, 0 < z < L Ts = T and Ts = T

t , z = 0 Tg = Tin
t , z = 0 H g = H in

(14)

When an overestimation of drying rates (a relative humidity greater than 100%) occurs (generally at the first
steps of the simulation), the excess of moisture must be removed from the air by condensation process to
converge to a relative humidity of 100%. An isenthalpic hypothesis to the air (Iribarne, 1992) was applied to
achieve the new air phase temperature and relative humidity and afterward the excess moisture was pushed back
to each interior node inside the grain kernel.

c paTg ,old + H old l v (Ttr ) + c pvTg ,old c pwTs = c pa Tg ,new + H new l v (Ttr ) + c pvTg ,new c pwTs

(15)

Numerical Data
T=38.3C

1.00

Normalized Moisture Average

0.90

Experimental Data
T=38.3C

0.80

Numerical Data
T=57.8C

0.70
0.60

Experimental Data
T=57.8C

0.50

Numerical Data
T=86.3C

0.40
0.30

Experimental Data
T= 86.3C

0.20
0.10
0.00
0

10000

20000

30000

40000

time (s)
Fig. 2 Average moisture evolution

5. Results and Discussion

Model simulation results were compared with experimental data performed on a rice deep-bed dryer for the
three temperatures. Figure 2 shows the average moisture variation expressed in dry solid base and normalized by

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the initial average moisture (Xo) and Figure 3 shows the outlet temperature as function of time for three inlet
temperatures.
100.0

Numerical Data
T=38.3C

90.0

Experimental Data
T=38.3C

Outlet temperature (C)

80.0

Numerical Data
T=57.8C

70.0
60.0

Experimental Data
T=57.8C

50.0
40.0

Numerical Data
T=86.3C

30.0

Experimental Data
T= 86.3C

20.0
10.0
0.0
0

10000

20000

30000

40000

time (s)
Fig. 3 Comparison between predicted (solid lines) and experimental data for outlet temperature of air

Deep-bed characteristics were summarized at Table 1, including the volumetric pseudo-convective

coefficient (ha)eff chosen for these plots. The model can not handle temperature variation on the axis deep-bed
perpendicular to the flow direction, so the later mean outlet temperature as Tin(eff) was chosen to perform the
simulation.
Table 1: Model Parameters
Tin (oC)
Tin(eff) (oC)
Xo (db)
Hin(kg/kgD)
T (oC)
ss (kg/m3)
w (m/s)
Ro (m)
L (m)
S (m2)
(ha)eff

39.7
38.3
0.2082
0.0074612
21.2
534.1
0.3
0.00165
0.105
0.0176
8000

60.4
57.8
0.2294
0.0093423
25.2
534.1
0.3
0.00165
0.105
0.0176
8000

89.3
86.3
0.2244
0.0097324
26.6
534.1
0.3
0.00165
0.105
0.0176
8000

Table 2 shows the accumulative error in experimental drying for the three temperatures assayed. This error is
defined as:

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NX

X =

(X
1

N X 1
NT

T =

X exp )

sim

(T

sim

(16)

Texp )

NT 1

(17)
Table 2: Accumulative Error
o

Tin ( C)
Tin(eff) (oC)
X (db x 100)
Tgout (oC)

39.7
38.3
1.014
0.9886

60.4
57.8
2.958
2.290

89.3
86.3
3.755
1.291

Maximum absolute error, in both cases, used to appear at the earliest times of the simulation. The average
moisture content simulated is greater than experimental one. On the other hand, calculated outlet temperature is
greater than measured one. This can be explained by Eq. (5) which shows that if the sensible heat coming from
the air, heat the grain less than the expected value, then the diffusion coefficient given by Eq. (9) is smaller too.
Also the simulation presents a systematic error that can not be removed, perhaps, to an inappropriate use of
the Chung-Pfost isotherm for our rice variety.

6. Conclusions
This model, that proposes a two control volumes system with change phase taking place at the air control
volume, involve few parameters to be determined. Comparing computational results with experimental data,
results that the accumulative error obtained for average moisture of grain varied from 1.01 to 3.76% and for the
outlet temperature from 0.99 to 2.29 C. According with the magnitude of errors obtained, this simple model is a
good description for deep-bed rice drying process.

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References
Alvarez, P. and Legues, P. (1986). A semi theoretical model for the drying of Thomson Seedless grapes. Drying Technology,
4 (1), 1-17.
Basunia. M.A.; Abe, T. (1999). Moisture Adsorption Isotherms of Rough Rice. Journal of Food Engineering, 42, 235-242.
Chen, P.; Pei D.C.T. (1989). A Mathematical Model of Drying Processes. Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer , 32 (2), 297-310.
Elbert, G.; Tolaba, M.P.; Aguerre, R.J.; Surez, C. A. (2001). Diffusion Model with a Moisture Dependent Diffusion
Coefficient for Parboiled Rice. Drying Technology 19 (1), 155-166.
Felipe, C.A.A., Barrozo, M.A.S. (2003). Drying of Soybean Seeds in a Concurrent Moving Bed: Heat and Mass Transfer
and Quality Analysis. Drying Technology, 21(3), 439-456.
Iribarne, J.V.; Godson, W.L. (1992) Thermodynamic Processes in the Atmosphere. In Atmospheric Thermodynamics.
2ndEdition. D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht.
Istadi, I..; Sitompul, J.P. (2002) A Comprehensive Mathematical and Numerical Modeling of Deep-Bed Grain Drying.
Drying Technology, 20 (6), 1123-1142.
Jia, C.Ch.; Sun, D.W.; Cao, Ch.W. (2000) Mathematical simulation of stresses within a corn kernel during drying. Drying
Technology, 18 (4&5), 887-906.
Madhiyanon, T.; Soponronnarit S.; Tia, W. (2002). A Mathematical Model for Continuous Drying of Grains in a Spouted
Bed Dryer. Drying Technology, 20 (3), 587-614.
Madhiyanon, T.; Soponronnarit, S.; Tia, W. (2001). Industrial-Scale Prototype of Continuous Spouted Bed Paddy Dryer.
Drying Technology, 19 (1), 207-216.
Sondergeld, C.H.; Turcotte, D.L. (1977). An Experimental Study for two-phase Convection in a Porous Medium with
Applications to Geological Problems. J.Geophys.Res. 82 (14), 2045-2053.
Thompson, T.L., Peart, R.M. and Foster G.H. (1968). Mathematical Simulation of Corn Drying- A new model. Trans. of the
ASAE , 11(4), 582-586.
Wang, C.Y.; Beckermann, C. (1993). A two-phase mixture model of liquid-gas flow and heat transfer in capillary porous
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Wongwises, S.;Thongprasert, M. (2000). Thin Layer and Deep Bed Drying of Long Grain Rough Rice. Drying Technology ,
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Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge financial support from CSIC (Comisin Sectorial de Investigacin Cientfica de la
Universidad de la Repblica).

Nomenclature
A

Specific surface per volume of grain bed (m2 m-3)

cpa

Specific heat of dry air (J kg-1 K-1)

cps

Specific heat of dry grain (J kg-1 K-1)

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cpv

Specific heat of vapor (J kg-1 K-1)

cpw

Specific heat of water (J kg-1 K-1)

Diffusion coefficient (m2 s-1)

Do

Diffusion coefficient at initial time (m2 s-1)

Dtl

Diffusion coefficient for the thin layer (Eq. 9) (m2 s-1)

Ea

Activation energy per unit mass (J kg-1)

(ha)eff

Volumetric pseudo-convective heat transfer coefficient (W m-3 K-1)

Absolute air humidity (kg moisture / kg dry air)

Hin

Inlet absolute air humidity (kg moisture / kg dry air)

Hsat

Saturation absolute air humidity (kg moisture / kg dry air)

lv

Vaporization heat of water (J kg-1)

D1

Constant of Arrhenius-type equation (Eq.3) (m2 s-1)

Deep bed depth (m)

NX

Number of moisture average data (-)

NT

Number of outlet temperature data (-)

Heat flux per unit volume (J m-3)

Ideal gas constant (J kg-1 K-1)

Ro

Equivalent particule radius (m)

Radial direction of spherical coordinate (m)

Time (s)

Tg

Air Temperature (K)

Tin

Inlet air Temperature (K)

Tout

Oulet air Temperature (K)

Ts

Grain Temperature (K)

Ttr

Triple point Temperature (K)

Environment Temperature (K)

wa

Axial drying air flux per unit of deep-bed cross sectional area (m s-1)

Grain moisture content (kg moisture / kg dry grain)

__

Average grain moisture content (kg moisture / kg dry grain)

Xeq

Equilibrium moisture content (kg moisture / kg dry grain)

Xms

Maximum sorptive moisture content (kg moisture / kg dry grain)

Xo

Initial average moisture content (kg moisture / kg dry grain)

Axial direction for cylindrical coordinate (m)

Greek Symbols
a

Density of dry air (kg m-3)

ss

Apparent density of dry grain (kg m-3)

Relative humidity

Accumulative error

10