Design of a laboratory experiment for the performance analysis of a retrofitted tray dryer unit

Publication date: Available online 19 October 2016 Source:Education for Chemical Engineers Author(s): S.M. Zakir Hossain, Noureddine Mansour, Nahid Sultana Drying of products and raw materials is a widely used procedure in many manufacturing processes and chemical plants. The work described aims to improve the learning experience of students in a senior level undergraduate chemical engineering laboratory. The tray dryer unit used in the experiment was first retrofitted with a PC, a data acquisition card and LabVIEW software. Then a 2k full factorial design and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to analyze the operation of the retrofitted dryer by the variation of two parameters: air temperature and velocity. The interactive effects of these parameters on the drying rate were also evaluated. Air temperature has the most significant effect on the drying rate, while the air velocity does not have a significant effect. Furthermore, interactive effects were not observed for both parameters. The results indicate that the performance of the retrofitted unit has improved by the incorporation of the intuitive and easy to use interface, which allows the students to monitor dynamic data and control the unit in real-time. Results of the student survey indicate that the level of understanding of process design and optimization has increased upon course completion. Most of the students believe that the lab is challenging and interesting, and would be worthwhile for lifelong learni...

Source: Education for Chemical Engineers - October 29, 2016 Category: Chemistry Source Type: research