THIN–LAYER DRYING OF SWEET POTATO CHIPS AND PRESSED GRATES

Thin¨Clayer drying characteristics of sweet potato chips and pressed grates were determined. Drying conditions were: temperatures of 33“´¬–”²a›C, 51“´¬–”²a›C, and 70“´¬–”²a›C; airflow rates of 0.084 and 0.145 m 3 /(si¤m 2 ); and absolute humidity of 1.003 ¨¹ 10 ¨C2 kg H2O/kg dry air. The drying rates of pressed grates were higher than those of chips. The modified Page equation describes thin¨Clayer drying of chips and pressed grates. The drying time required for chips to reach the moisture ratio of 0.5 varied between 2.4 and 6.1 times that of pressed grates.