Solar Drying Analysis of Madder Plant Roots (Rubia tinctorum L.)

Abstract

Current study aims to analyze the drying kinetics of madder roots. To accomplish this, a conventional solar dryer was utilized to generate drying curves at 50, 55, and 60 °C, as drying temperatures. These curves were then fitted using established drying models. The results obtained from the experimental drying curves demonstrate that the drying rate is strongly impacted by the air conditions inside drying chamber. Current study employed ten drying models to model the drying curves, and for madder roots Midilli & Kucuk model demonstrated an accurate describing of drying kinetics with a correlation coefficient of 0.999.