Abstract
This study was carried out for the purpose of understanding the microwave drying characteristics of paddy rice, especially the conditions of cracked kernels after microwave drying. Experiments were conducted using microwave heating on pseudo-fluidized bed drying by employing the batch-type intermittent drying method.
As a result, microwave drying method can increase the drying rate potential by approximately ten times or more than the ordinary heated air drying method. In addition, microwave drying on pseudo-fluidized bed can increase the drying rate per net radiation time by 10-20% and decrease the cracked kernels by 5-9% than on stationary bed.
During the drying process, the moisture content was decreased by about 30-40% during the radiation period and by about 60-70% during the post radiation period. When paddy rice was dried at high kernel temperature, the cracked kernels were reduced by sufficiently setting the kernels to achive the complete post radiation period.
