Learning Forum

[Ömer Öksüz]

Hi everyone, i would like to model a hot air drying process of a spherical fruit which contains certain amount of humid inside. What model should i use and how am i supposed to approach such a problem, please help me out by some guide, appreciated.

[Rob]

I'd approach this very carefully. Do you need to model inside the fruit or can you look at the environment and use a hand calculation for moisture diffusion in the solid?

[Ömer Öksüz]

Thank you for your reply,  i would like to have results of moisture and temperature distrubition inside the solid object at the end of drying process. I think the second option(hand calculation) will be easier, but otherwise for first option, would it be possible ? or what would you recommend and proceed ?

[Rob]

It's possible, but you'll need so much information on the fruit material that it's not going to be a very simple model. 

[Ömer Öksüz]

okey then let's say i will go for hand calculation, in this case would you guide me in detail for modelling process.

[Rob]

For the outer flow field you need to find temperature & local speed. That'll assist in obtaining the drying rate into the outer domain. Re the rest - please talk to your project supervisor! 

[Ömer Öksüz]

I am not asking for theoretical assist here, just please guide me about modelling process in fluent, what should be the fluid flow model

Sould i use multiphase if so what mechanism should it be ? Thank you.

[Rob]

For the bulk flow domain I'd use single phase and potentially not bother with species or energy. It depends on what information you need to include in the drying model. You need to define what you need the CFD for and what you intend to do via the hand calculations, and also what data is needed from the CFD model to feed the hand calculations.