Original research article
Activation Energy of Water Release Rate from Corn Kernel During Convective Drying
2007, 72 (3) p. 199-204
Neven Voća, Tajana Krička, Ana Matin, Vanja Janušić, Željko Jukić, Mak Kišević
Abstract
This paper presents a mathematical model describing convective drying of corn kernels of different hybrids. The convective drying process was examined at four air temperatures (70, 90, 110 and 130ºC). using hybrids ‘Bc 462’, ‘Bc 4982’, ‘Bc Jumbo 48’, ‘Florencia’ and ‘Stefania’ Th e drying process was able to be described by a model based on exponential equations. Activation energy necessary for the onset of the drying process, namely water activation in kernel, was determined using the Arrhenius equation. Results show that activation energy is in the ranges from 10.39 kJ/mol (hybrid Bc Jumbo 48) to 15.56 kJ/mol (hybrid Stefania). Data and analysis together indicate that the increase in energy necessary to induce the water release process from corn kernel is proportional to the increase in the activation energy of drying.
Keywords
water activation energy, convective drying, corn hybrids
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