Award Date

1-1-1999

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Mechanical Engineering

First Committee Member

Robert F. Boehm

Number of Pages

59

Abstract

An experimental study has been conducted to understand the drying effects in sub-residual saturated systems. Different flow rates and isothermal wall temperatures were used in the experiments. In two experimental runs, the test section was maintained at room temperature and gas flow initiated. Four other cases were started initially with heating up the porous medium with no flow, and then letting nitrogen gas flow through the test-section after a steady-state temperature distribution had been reached (denoted in what follows as the "steady heating case"); Temperatures throughout the bed and entering and exiting humidity values as a function of time among other data were collected for analysis. These were then used for the mass balance calculations, which were compared to values taken from a digital balance. These showed localized evaporation and dryout phases. Generally the lower temperature cases showed good comparison between the humidity-based calculations and the digital balance readings. At higher temperatures an initial large drop in mass was indicated which was not shown from the humidity-based calculations. Possible sources of discrepancies are discussed.

Keywords

Drying; Experimental; Medium; Porous; Residual; Saturation; Study

Controlled Subject

Mechanical engineering

File Format

pdf

File Size

1413.12 KB

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

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