Drying comparison of cassava flour through solar dryer and hybrid oven

摘要

Cassava flour (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is produced in different regions of Brazil and is part of Brazilian eating habit. The product is characterized by having energy value, containing fiber and carbohydrates. However, the cassava flour houses have generated negative impacts on the environment by burning firewood. Solar energy can be an alternative free, clean and rewable energy source. This paper aims evaluate the kinetics of drying and torrefying cassava flour in a solar/gas hybrid oven. The minimum product moisture was 3 percent in the hybrid oven and 8 percent in solar dryer. The process reached a maximum temperature of 90 and 68 degrees centigrade for hybrid oven and dryer, respectively. According to particle size, the flour was classified as average. Therefore, flour production in hybrid solar/gas oven was feasible using the methodology proposed in this work. In the solar dryer, there was the need for mechanical agitation in the process.