Research of the influence of mulberry silkworm cocoon structure on drying kinetics

Abstract

Abstract This article presents an experiment on drying mulberry silkworm type 3 cocoons using universal infra-red drying equipment. Three types of cocoons, Bombyx mori, Antheraea pernyi and Antheraea mylitta, were used as an object of research. A universal (convection) drying equipment with an infrared heat source was used, which allows a fairly wide variation of the operation and load parameters (chamber temperature °C and air speed up to ±0 °C). t1 = 70 °C, air velocity up to ω = 0,7 m/sec and the drying load volume Pc = 0,5 kg/m2. The parameters that ensure the maximum intensity of the drying process while maintaining the quality properties are: coolant temperature in drying equipment within t1 = 65 …75 °C and the air velocity, which gives the best performance with the lowest possible losses in the ranges of ω = 0,6 − 0,7 m/sec.