Abstract

Lima bean is a legume produced and consumed in various countries. To reduce post harvest losses and to enable the storage for long periods, an alternative is to dry the product. To describe the drying process, a mathematical model is usually required. In this article, four empirical equations available in the literature were used to simulate thin layer drying kinetics of lima bean at temperatures of 40, 50 and 60°C. The four empirical equations were chosen based on their simplicity, involving only one or two fitting parameters. The statistical indicators showed that the Page and Silva et al. models were the best ones to describe the process. These two empirical equations has helped to deduce an analytical expression for the drying rate and these expressions produce results which can be considered equivalent.

Key words: Drying rate, mathematical model, grain, storage.