Study on Sublimation Drying of Carrot and Simulation by Using Cellular Automata

Abstract

Vacuum freeze-dried products exhibit properties characteristic of porous media, rendering them superior in both drying and rehydration capabilities. However, the process of sublimation drying is constrained by its substantial time and energy costs. To comprehensively grasp its technological process and identify the optimal process parameters, the cellular automata method was employed for sublimation process simulation. Carrot slices, measuring 10 mm in thickness and 40 mm in radius, were selected for both simulation and experimentation. The sublimation process was characterized using a two-dimensional heat and mass transfer equation, inclusive of a dusty gas model. Additionally, a cellular automaton model was applied to simulate the mass transfer process, temperature, and moisture content changes in the sublimation drying stage. Then, the accuracy of the model was verified through experimentation. There was a remarkable alignment between simulation and experimental outcomes, with determination coefficients R2 of 99.4% for moisture content and 97.6% for temperature variations.