Modelling the Water Sorption Isotherms of Warionia Saharae and determination of sorption heats and drying kinetics

Abstract

The hygroscopic equilibrium of Warionia saharae was studied, which allowed getting an idea of ​​the equilibrium water content relative to a given humidity. The results of this study made it possible to have the sorption curves. The results of this study made it possible to obtain the sorption curves necessary for know the storage conditions of the plant and the study of its drying kinetics. The static gravimetric method was used to determine sorption isotherms of Warionia saharae leaves at 30and 40 ◦C and in the range of water activity varying from 0.063 to 0.898.  The Gab, Peleg models was found to be the most suitable for describing the sorption curves. The isosteric heat calculated by applying the Clausius–Clapeyron equation .The desorption isosteric heat was higher than the isosteric heat of adsorption and both decreased continuously with increasing of the equilibrium moisture content. The experimental results obtained allowed us to determine the temporal evolution of the drying kinetics as a function of the moisture content. The curve of the evolution of the water content as a function of time shows the absence of the phases product temperature and constant drying rate Keywords: Sorption isotherm, isosteric heats, modelling, kinetics, Warionia saharae.