Abstract
Combined convective and microwave drying and convective drying alone were investigated in a glass particle layer wetted with aqueous polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) solution, styrene-butadiene rubber latex (SBRL), or water. Drying rate and polymer content profile within the dried layer were measured. Overall drying time for the combined drying decreased to 40-80% of the time required for the convective drying. Drying rate increased with a decrease in the initial moisture content, and the drying rate of SBRL was higher than that of PVA solution in the both combined and convective dryings, while polymer content near the drying surface within the dried layer was higher in the SBRL case. Polymer content profile within the dried layer tended to be flat in the case of the combined drying, and this may be another effect of the microwave assistance.
