MATHEMATICAL MODELING OF THIN LAYER DRYING KINETICS OF SHATAVARI (ASPARAGUS RACEMOSUS) IN SOLAR CABINET DRYER INTEGRATED WITH PHASE CHANGE MATERIAL

Mathematical models of thin-layer solar drying of medicinal plant Shatavari were studied and verified with experimental data. Seven different mathematical drying models were compared according to statistical parameters, i.e. coefficient of determination (R2), chi-square ( χ^2) and root mean square error (RMSE). The best model describing the thin layer drying characteristics of Shatavari was set on the basis of the highest R2 values and the lowest RMSE values. The different thin layer drying models were applied for variation of moisture ratio with respect to drying time and was experimentally investigated in a sun drying and solar cabinet dryer. The objective of the study was the verification of models already developed and determined best ranked thin layer drying model for Shatavari. The Modified Henderson & Pabis model and Page model could satisfactorily describe the solar drying curve for sun and solar cabinet drying of Shatavari with coefficient of determination of 0.998 and 0.997 respectively.