Drying of Wheat: A Numerical Study Based on the Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamics

A new coupled mathematical modeling to predict heat and moisture (liquid and vapor) transfer in capillary-porous bodies with particular reference to wheat kernel is presented. The mathematical model is based on the non-equilibrium thermodynamics by considering the wheat as prolate spheroid, variable transport coefficients and equilibrium boundary conditions at the surface of the solid. All the partial differential equations presented in the model have been written in prolate spheroidal coordinates. The finite-volume method has been used to obtain the numerical solution of the governing equations. Results of the average moisture content, average temperature, heat flux, liquid flux, vapor flux, and moisture content and temperature distributions inside a wheat kernel during drying process (T=87.8 oC, RH=5.6% and v=1.71 m/s) are presented and analyzed.