Cinética de secagem dos frutos de macaúba (Acrocomia aculeata)

Abstract

In the search for new alternatives for the replacement of non-renewable and polluting fossil fuels by renewable fuels cleaner, enters the oil cultivation in vegetable oil to obtain biodiesel, such as the fruit of macaúba that has high productivity oil. For better use of industrial processes, drying is an efficient way to stabilize the water activity of the fruit, keeping its chemical and physical characteristics appropriate. In this context, the aim of the present work perform drying thin layer of fruit macaúba, follow the procedures obtained during drying, set the best model that fits the data and estimate the effective diffusion coefficient values and calculate the activation energy. There were two replicates, using drying air temperatures of 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80° C, and drying air speed of 0.4 to 2.0 m s-1. The fruits of macaúba were collected near Dourados-MS, place of execution of work. First, fruits contained, on average, 42.85% bs, treatments were carried out until the fruits reach less than or equal to 11.1% db. It was concluded that elevation of temperature and drying air velocity generated reducing the time required for the removal of water from fruit macaúba. The mathematical models presented better adjustments to the experimental data were Page, Two terms, Midilli, Exponential two terms, Logarithmic and Thompson. The effective diffusion coefficient increased with rising temperatures for the same drying air flow.