Drying of wastes of almond shells in conical spouted beds

Abstract

The goal of this study was to prove the feasibility of a conical spouted bed dryer for the drying of wastes of almond tree fruit. The drying operating regimes ranges in sspouted beds contactors were determined. The drying tests were conducted in the spouted bed regime under determined experimental conditions. Beds consisting of almond shells were dried at drying air temperatures ranging from room temperature to 140 ºC. The drying behaviour was assessed based on the decrease in moisture content of almond shells with the time and the effect of drying air temperature on the drying process was analyzed. Keywords: Almond shells wastes; conical spouted beds; biomass wastes; drying