Influence of two drying methods (oven and solar dryer) in modeling the drying kinetics of Ricinus communis L. capsules

Castor beans are herbaceous perennials found in tropical and subtropical climates. They are very cold-hardy and belong to the Euphorbiaceae family. The aim of this work was to study the drying kinetics of castor oil capsules and the variations in thermal quantities that can occur during drying. Two drying methods were used: conduction drying in an oven at temperatures ranging from 50 °C, 60 °C and 70 °C, and radiation drying in a boat-type direct solar dryer at an average temperature of 49 °C. The results showed that the mass loss of castor oil capsules varied as a function of time and applied temperature, and was faster in the oven at 60 °C and 70 °C than in the solar dryer at an average temperature of 49.2±0.03 °C. It was found that the higher the drying temperature, the shorter the drying time. Seven (7) models were used for modeling. Modeling data based on analysis of R² ; χ² and RMSE showed that the best models for oven-drying castor oil capsules were those of Midili et al., for drying temperatures of 50 °C and 70 °C, and the logarithmic model for drying at 60 °C. For sun-drying, the best model was that proposed by Henderson and Pabis, modified.