Pengaruh Kondisi Operasi Temperatur dan Kecepatan Udara terhadap Tekstur, Struktur Morfologi, Warna, Kinetika Pengeringan, dan Difusifitas Pengeringan Jagung Menggunakan Pengering Rotary Dryer

Abstract

Corn is a food commodity crop that has great potential for the benefit of the feed industry as well as the food and manufacturing industries, but the drying method used by the community uses conventional methods so it is not effective. This study aims to analyze the best airspeed and drying air temperature, the kinetics and drying characteristics, diffusivity and diffusivity constant of drying corn as well as the quality of dry corn, namely color, texture, and morphological structure. P32 corn (Pioneer 32) was dried at a variation in airspeed (2, 3, 4.5 m/s) and drying air temperature (40, 50, 60, 70 oC) using a rotary dryer. The results showed that the airspeed at 2, 3, 4, and 5 m/s did not affect the drying rate while the drying air temperature affected the drying rate of corn obtaining the best temperature of 60 oC and 70 oC. To determine the most suitable mathematical model to explain the kinetics of drying by matching the research data with model equations, namely the Newton model, the Page model, the Page Modified II model, the Page Modified III model, the Handerson-Pabis model, the Midilli model, and the Thompson model, which is then the conformity determined by the coefficient of determination (R2), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), and Sum of Square Error (SSE). Obtained the Most Suitable Page Modified II model to explain the drying of corn with a rotary dryer. To determine diffusivity is obtained from the equation of the second Fick's law (Handerson-Pabis model). Obtained Do for various consecutive speeds of 1.02e-07; 8.91e-08; 7.95e-08; 6.49e-08 m2.min-1 and for E/R 121; 110; 100,9; 81.33 oC where the increase in airspeed decreases the activation energy of drying. The drying characteristics of corn are obtained in two periods, the period of the drying rate is ascending and the period of the drying rate decreases. The quality results of dry corn analysis showed that there was a change in color before and after drying, texture analysis showed an increase in hardness in dry corn before and after drying, and for morphological structure analysis there were spheres that contained water before drying while those that had been dried at a temperature of 70 oC for various variations in airspeeds appeared uneven surfaces as an indication that the water had evaporated.