Abstract:

In this study, the drying of raw honey which has high moisture content in a heat pump assisted hygienic dryer is theoretically examined and, it was aimed to produce honey with optimum production and storage conditions according to the Turkish Food Codex Communiqué on Honey, with high energy and drying efficiency and low energy consumption. Drying of raw honey to 17% from 40% moisture content (wet basis) was examined in terms of energy consumption and drying time; the time required for evaporation of excess moisture from 1 kilogram of honey at 40 °C and 1 m/s drying air conditions was calculated as 0.29 hours. Energy-drying efficiency, specific energy consumption, moisture extraction rate and the coefficient of the performance of the whole drying system were calculated as 27.11%, 30.01%, 2.64 kWh/kg, 0.96 kg/h and 2.65, respectively. The presented design is supported by the results of the analyzes in terms of the energy consumption and drying time and therefore, this system has proposed as a system that can be used in the industry for the production of high quality honey.

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