Performance assessment and optimization of industrial pasta drying

Drying is a high-energy-intensive operation and an important step in the pasta production. In this study, exergy analysis of a four-step drying system in a farfalle pasta production line using actual operational data obtained from a plant located in Izmir, Turkey, was performed. Exergy loss rates, evaporation rates, exergy efficiencies, and improvement in potential rates for each dryer section were determined in this drying system. The exergy efficiency values varied between 0.25% and 5.27% from the predrying to the final drying section. The exergy efficiency value for the entire drying system was calculated to be 2.96%, and the highest exergetic improvement in potential rate was 165.54kW for the first dryer section. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley ; Sons, Ltd. A four-step drying system in a farfalle pasta production line was exergetically analyzed for assessing and improving the efficiency of the drying process and the entire system along with its main components. Actual operational data were used in the analysis. The exergy efficiency values varied between 0.25% and 5.27% from the predrying to the final drying section, being 2.96% for the entire drying system. The highest exergetic improvement in potential rate (IP) was 165.54 kW for the first dryer section. © 2013 John Wiley ; Sons, Ltd.