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Assessment of the Electrohydrodynamic Drying Process

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Abstract

Industries using energy-intensive processes are being forced to explore ways for reducing their energy consumption. In the food industry, air drying is one of the more energy-consuming processes. To reduce the energy consumption during this operation, alternative processes should be investigated. One promising alternative consists in the electrohydrodynamic (EHD) enhancement of heat and mass transfer. This paper analyses the literature and describes the great potential of this innovative process based on the generation of an electric wind by a corona discharge. The main aspects of this technique are discussed and special emphasis is given on its benefit for food processes. The main part of this paper concerns experimental investigations carried out to assess the EHD enhancement on the drying process. An experimental set-up was designed to measure the weight losses on a food product submitted to an electrostatic field and to a cross air flow. Present results confirm that, for a low cross air velocity, the ionic wind leads to an enhancement of the drying rate. The best results are obtained for the smaller distance between the food surface and the corona electrode. Nevertheless, the process is less efficient for a high air velocity. The last part deals with a numerical model that was developed to evaluate the electric parameters and the flow field in turbulent regime. This model provides useful information on the coupled phenomena and permits to explain the experimental observations and to help in designing EHD drying processes.

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Abbreviations

a :

surface (m2)

b :

ionic mobility (m2 V−1 s−1)

d :

food surface–electrode gap (m)

e :

edge of the wind tunnel (m)

E :

electric field (V m−1)

F e :

electric body force (C m−2 s−1)

g :

gravity (m s−2)

I :

electric current (A)

J :

current density (A m−2)

k :

turbulent kinetic energy (m2 s−2)

L :

length of the wind tunnel (m)

p :

pressure (Pa)

U :

velocity vector (m s−1)

v i :

ionic wind velocity (m s−1)

V :

voltage (V)

x :

distance along surface (m)

y :

height above surface (m)

φ :

diameter (m)

ɛ :

turbulent dissipation rate (m2 s−3)

ɛ 0 :

permittivity of free space (C m−1 V−1)

Ρ :

density of air (kg m−3)

ρ c :

space charge density (C m−3)

μ :

dynamic viscosity of air (Pa s−1)

μ t :

turbulent viscosity (Pa s−1)

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Luc Guihard and Christophe Couëdel for their technical contributions. We further wish to thank Dr. Yukinori Sakiyama, Postdoctoral Scholar at the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of California (Berkeley) for his comments and suggestions on the numerical procedure.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. GEPEA, ENITIAA, BP 82225, 44322, Nantes Cedex 03, France

    Sid’ Ahmed Ould Ahmedou, Olivier Rouaud & Michel Havet

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  1. Sid’ Ahmed Ould Ahmedou
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  2. Olivier Rouaud
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  3. Michel Havet
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Correspondence to Michel Havet.

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Ould Ahmedou, S.A., Rouaud, O. & Havet, M. Assessment of the Electrohydrodynamic Drying Process. Food Bioprocess Technol 2, 240–247 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11947-008-0078-6

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