Abstract

In this research work the waste heat of exhaust gas of an engine-generator for the process of banana slices drying was used and tested Drying experiments were conducted at different engine loads 25 50 75 and full load and thickness of the samples 3 5 and 7 mm At load 25 50 75 and full load the temperatures produced in drying chamber was 50 60 70 and 80 respectively The experiments were done at air velocity 0 5 m s Three drying models were fitted to the experimental data of moisture ratio in order to assess a suitable form of the drying curve for banana drying For banana with 3 mm thickness page model offering maximum average value of EF and minimum average value of RMSE and 2 namely 0 99745 0 01473875 and 0 000208443 and for banana slice with thickness of 5 and 7 mm Logarithmic model offering maximum average value of EF and minimum average value of RMSE and 2 namely 0 9966 0 01472 and 0 00022 respectively