MODELING WASTEWATER SLUDGE DRYING WITH DETERMINATION OF DIFFUSIVITY MOISTURE

Convective drying of two different types of wastewater sludges is investigated. Experiments are realised in a micro-dryer, for air temperatures of 80 °C, 140 °C and 200 °C, the velocity and humidity remaining the same. The product drying kinetics presents, for all studied cases, three main phases, which are: adaptation phase, constant drying rate phase and falling drying rate. A comparison between two mathematical approaches allows determination of the diffusion coefficient. The value of this coefficient depends on the origin of the wastewater sludge and the operating temperatures. Physical changes such as shrinkage are introduced into the mathematical model.