Drying models are useful in the optimization and control of drying systems to ensure good quality of dried materials. This paper presents a mathematical model for hair drying processes. Specifically, the model is developed for drying processes of women hair in saloons. The modelling is anchored on the conduction-convection heat transfer process, which culminates to the description of the physics of the drying processes; with appropriate boundary conditions being considered. The mathematics of the physics was solved using the method of separation of variable, as it presents itself as the appropriate solution method. The model is able to predict temperature and moisture content distributions of the drying hair; no available experimental data for comparison. However, the trend of results compared well with those of particular case of lump models. Simulations based on this model were conducted to study the effects of operational parameters (namely, air temperature, heat and mass transfer coefficients and thermal diffusivities) on the moisture content and temperature of the hair. Simulation results show that increasing the air temperature and velocity decrease drying rate. It is evident from the simulations that sample with high thermal diffusivity and coefficient of diffusion values exhibits shorter duration of drying.
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