Optimal Flow Design of High-Efficiency, Cold-Flow, and Large-size Heat Pump Dryer

Drying process, corresponding to a final process in the area of food engineering, requires a lot of heat energy. Thus, the energy efficiency is very important for dryers. Since the energy efficiency of heat pump dryers is much higher compared to that of electric dryers or other types of dryers, most of large-capacity dryers are adopting heat pump. In this study, shapes, positions and number of air-circulating fans, guide vanes, air inlet, outlet and top separator were varied for optimization of the flow of a large-capacity heat pump dryer. In addition, fans were modelled with performance curves and porous media were assumed for foods and heat exchangers. The simulation results were applied to the 12-ton dryer and the velocity distributions were experimentally examined. Finally, uniform drying in time was successfully accomplished through frozen pepper experiment.