PENGERINGAN JAGUNG DENGAN METODE MIXED-ADSORPTION DRYING MENGGUNAKAN ZEOLITE PADA UNGGUN TERFLUIDISASI

Abstract

Corn (Zea mays L.) is one of the most important world food crops, other than wheat and rice. Corn very useful as food source and medicine so that handling of after harvest corn become important because it will determine corn quality for the next usage. Drying process by adsorption is an option to replace conventional corn drying systems. The aims of this research are to study the influence of air temperature, type of zeolite, and weight ratio corn to zeolite to drying rate and calculate the constant rate. In our study, the zeolite as adsorbent was mixed with corn with weight ratio variable in a campfire, then fluidized with air at 30oC-50oC. The air will evaporate water from the corn and at the same time, the zeolite will absorb water from the air so humidity will be maintained low. Thus, consume of heat can be lowered and drying time become faster. The results of this research show the greatest drying rate is sign by the greatest decrease of moisture content at 50oC, using sinthetic zeolite, and weight ratio corn to zeolite is 25% : 75%. The constant drying rate for this variable is 0,0303. Result indicates that the growing of air temperature hence degradation of ever greater water rate so that drying rate become faster.