ABSTRACT
To provide information about the drying process of bean seeds, this study was conducted with the objective of determining the thin-layer drying curves, for four levels of temperature of drying air (35, 40, 45 and 50 ºC) and three levels of initial moisture content (0.206, 0.373 and 0.596 d.b.). The drying tests were accomplished with three replications, using an experimental dryer with a constant air flow of approximately 10 m3 min-1 m-2. The results of the drying were adjusted to the following mathematical models: Thompson, Exponential, Page and Diffusion. The results obtained in this study lead to the conclusion that the equation proposed by Page best represented the experimental data.
Key words:
drying; thin-layer; Phaseolus vulgaris