Experimental analysis and modeling of convective interval starting accessibility drying (ISAD) and continuous airflow drying (CAD) operations applied to lucuma (Pouteria lucuma)

Gastón C.; Carmen T.-P.; Colette B.; Daniel M.-A.; Arturo A.-Z.; Luis Alberto C.-P.; Edilberto V.-D.; Mujumdar A.S.; Karim A. · Drying Technology (2026) · DOI: 10.1080/07373937.2026.2661250

Resumen

This study compares two convective drying methods for Peruvian lucuma fruit: continuous airflow drying (CAD) and interval starting-accessibility drying (ISAD). The Negligible External Resistance (NER) in CAD enables calculation of the internal water diffusivity, Deff, based on CAD kinetics. This is vital for understanding process efficiency, including energy consumption and drying rate. The research also explores how ISAD parameters—active drying time (tON), passive tempering time (tOFF), and the active drying time fraction (α)—affect energy use and drying behavior. Specifically, it examines tON from 0.63 to 1.83 s and tOFF from 19.38 to 58.13 s, evaluates the dried depth immediately after tON for each cycle, and estimates the internal water homogenization time, tHOM. Under the studied ISAD conditions, both active drying time and energy consumption are roughly ten times lower than those of CAD operating under the same airflow conditions.

Instituciones: Universidad de Piura; Universidad Tecnológica del Perú