Simulation of discretized element of ginger on thin layer drying using MATLAB PDES for optimal programming

Abstract

This paper presents the simulation for thin layer drying of ginger Rhizome considering two important features, moisture content and thermal conductivity of ginger samples under blanched, unblanched, peeled, unpeeled condition at varying drying time of 2 – 24 hours and for6 temperature levels ranging from 10oC – 60oC using Matrix Laboratory (MATLAB)for the finite element for the temperature distribution while drying. This research work is an extension of the previous work done with the ARS-680 environment chamber for the drying and TD 1002A-linear heat conduction experimental equipment used in measuring the thermal conductivity of the ginger at 6 temperature levels ranging from 100C -600C and drying time of 2-24hours. The partial differential equation toolbox was employed to PDES for diffusion heat, transfer, structural mechanics, electrostatics, magnetostatics, and AC power electromagnetics, as well as custom, coupled system of PDES. The discretized mesh of the ginger rhizomes samples have 545 nodes (element) and 1024 (triangles) and the high temperature distribution is responsible in the colour change obtained for the final product. An equation for moisture content was derived from the data.