INFRARED AND HOT-AIR DRYING OF STR20 RUBBER: ENHANCED EFFICIENCY AND QUALITY THROUGH ADVANCED MODELING
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55766/sujst10145Keywords:
Standard Thai Rubber (STR20), Infrared drying, Hybrid drying, Drying kineticsAbstract
This study investigates the drying kinetics and quality characteristics of Standard Thai Rubber (STR20) using a novel infrared-hot-air drying system. The system was designed to automate temperature and moisture control for three grades of STR20, representing alternative ratios of natural cup lump rubber to smoked natural rubber sheet. Seven mathematical models were evaluated for best fit to the drying data, with the Logarithmic and Approximate Diffusion models showing the highest accuracy. Results demonstrated that infrared-hot-air drying achieved efficient energy consumption (average SEC of 25.82 MJ/kg), while preserving desirable rubber properties such as initial plasticity, plasticity retention index, viscosity, and volatile matter content within industry standards. These findings suggest that infrared-assisted drying can improve drying efficiency and product quality, offering an effective alternative for the rubber industry.
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