EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON LYCHHEE DRYING USING AN INDIRECT BIOMASS-FIRED DRYING SYSTEM

This paper presents the experimental results of lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) drying, with each batch consisting of approximately 5 tons, using an indirect biomass-fired drying system. Two operating factors were investigated: (i) drying air temperature at 70°C, 75°C, and 80°C with a fixed air velocity of v = 0,5 m/s; and (ii) drying air velocity at 0,3 m/s, 0,5 m/s, and 0,70m/s at a fixed temperature of 75°C. The results indicated that the condition of 75°C and v = 0,5 m/s provided the optimal performance, with a drying duration of about 51 hours, fuel consumption of approximately 1.345 kg of wood per batch, and desirable sensory quality characterized by uniform color, elastic and chewy pulp. Increasing the drying temperature to 80°C or the air velocity to 0,7 m/s shortened the drying time but led to higher fuel consumption and deterioration of product quality. Conversely, reducing the velocity to 0.3 m/s prolonged the drying period (~60 hours) without offering any benefit in fuel savings.