The feasibility of infrared assisted freeze drying (IRAFD) was evaluated for shelf stable sea cucumber to improve the traditional drying methods such as freeze drying (FD), vacuum drying (VD) and hot air drying (AD, 60, 80, 100oC). Infrared (IR) radiant energy was provided to accelerate the drying rate of freeze drying (FD). IRAFD had the most rapid drying rate among IRAFD, FD and VD. IRAFD showed drying time of 13.7 h followed by VD (18.7 h) and FD (24.3 h). In the final moisture content of sea cucumber, it decreased down to 3.25% at IRAFD. However, FD and VD could not reduce down the moisture content of sea cucumber below 7%. Quality attributes of AD sea cucumber were not acceptable with very low restoration rate and excessive hardness. For example, AD 100 had very low weight restoration rate of 23% and hardness of 22 N. IRAFD showed quite high restoration rates (weight: 50%, width: 82%, length: 91%) and acceptable hardness of 3.1 N. IRAFD consumed the minimal electrical energy of 120 kJ as compared to 209 kJ of FD. This study showed the potential application of IRAFD to produce the shelf stable dried sea cucumber with microbial safety.

This study was conducted to investigate the potential of infrared assisted air drying (IRAD) to dry dorumuk (Arctoscopus japonicus). The IRAD system is composed of a far infrared lamp, convection fan, data loggable electronic balance, and proportional-integral-differential temperature controller. The infrared lamp provided radiative energy for temperature increase and substance moisture vaporization. The convection fan removed the moisture outside the drying chamber. Various IRAD conditions were tested at 40oC & 5 m/s, 40oC &11 m/s, 50oC & 5 m/s, 50oC & 11 m/ s, 60oC & 5 m/s, or 60oC & 11 m/s. The IRAD of 40oC & 5 m/s could reduce the moisture content by 42.2 %. The IRAD of 60oC and 11 m/s could further reduce the moisture content to 16.7% within 17 h. During the IRAD test, electrical energy consumption ranged from 1.16 to 1.38 kWh which is lower than that of hot air drying. IRAD resulted in dried dorumuk with yellow color and crispy texture. In this study, IRAD showed potential for the production of high-quality, dried dorumuk products.

The purpose of this study was to verify the drying characteristics of steamed sweet potato and to establish optimal drying conditions for far-infrared drying of steamed sweet potato. 4 kg of steamed sweet potato was sliced to thicknesses of 8 and 10 mm, and dried by a far-infrared dryer until a final moisture content of 25±0.5%. The far-infrared dryer conditions were an air velocity of 0.6, 0.8 m/s and drying temperature of 60, 70, and 80oC. The results can be summarized as follows. The drying time tended to be reduced as temperature and air velocity for drying increased. The Lewis and Modified Wang and Singh models were found to be suitable for drying of steamed sweet potato by a far-infrared dryer. The color difference was 35.09 on the following conditions: Thickness of 8 mm, temperature of 80oC, and air velocity of 0.8 m/s. The highest sugar content (59.11 oBrix) was observed on the conditions of a thickness of 8 mm, temperature of 80, and air velocity of 0.8 m/s. Energy consumption decreased on the conditions of higher temperature, slower air velocity, and thinner steamed sweet potato.

The objective of this work was to study the effect of far infrared ray-vacuum drying having reflection and dispersion functions(RD-FRVD) and hot air drying(HAD) on the quality changes of dried vegetable flakes. HAD was regarded as a control. Browning degrees, color value, titratable acidity and pH value were measured as chemical evaluations. Rehydration and electron micrographs were investigated as physical evaluation. Microbial cells were counted. The color value and browning degrees were increased in both RD-FRVE and HAD. In case of degree of those changes, RD-FRVD made less changes than HAD. Especially, green bean sprout had no differences in color value and browning degrees between raw material and dried-rehydrated material. There were no significance differences in titratable acidity and pH value between raw material and dried-rehydrated material. The total microbial counts were gradually reduced in RD-FRVD. The rehydration rates of dried vegetable flakes were typically increased in RD-FRVD. Also, these results were investigated electron micrographs evaluation. Therefore, these results showed that the quality of dried-rehydrated vegetable flakes was typically enhanced by using RD-FRVD.

The researcher inquired drying characteristics by reflecter shape. Near infrared ray (NIR) is very useful in various drying field. The researcher compared and investigated, temperature about reflecter's shape with numerical analysis method and experimental method. The researcher also investigated about distance between a lamp and a drying target plate using experimental method. As far as a experimental method is concerned, the researcher used the thermal image processing system for changing distance between a lamp and a drying target plate into H=500mm, 600mm and 700mm. Also presented experimental results are compared about thermal image for temperature distribution at each cases. As a result, the researcher has come to the H=700mm about best result in this study.

분무건조법으로 용사용 원적외선 세라믹/알루미늄 복합분말을 제조하여 플라즈마 용사법으로 알루미늄 모재에 용사한 후, 미세구조, 결정상, 열충격저항성 그리고 분광복사율을 조사하였다. 분무건조된 복합분말의 입형은 구형으로 34~105μm . 영역에서 높은 복사율을 보였다. 그러나 알루미늄 첨가량이 증가할수록 원적외선 방사특성은 감소하였다. 결과적으로 용사법으로 원적외선 방사특성의 큰 손실 없이 방사체를 제조하기 위해서는 20~30%wt%Al를 첨가하여 복합분말을 제조하는 것이 가장 효율적이라고 판단된다.

This study executed evaluation of drying characteristics based on the polymer injection rate (8%, 10% and 12%) and the drying method[NIF(near-infrared ray). According to this study analyzed VS, VS/TS, and calorific value compared with ‘the auxiliary fuel standard of the thermoelectric power plant and the combined heat & power plant’. The results are as follows. In the case of NIR, the VS was slightly changed at the early stage of the material preheating period and the constant drying rate period with low moisture evaporation. But VS reduction was shown higher as moisture was dried. In the case of non-digested sludge with high VS content, the VS reduction rate by drying was shown lower than that of digested sludge. As the flocculant injection rate increased, the VS loss due th drying was found to be small. Also, the higher the flocculant injection rate was the longer the drying time. Especially, in the case of the NIR drying equipment, as the moisture content of sewage sludge decreased(moisture content 20∼40%), the loss of net VS also showed a tendency to increase sharply. It is shown that the high calorific value according to the drying time of the non-digested sludge was changed from 590 ㎉/㎏ to 3,005 ㎉/㎏ and from 539 ㎉/㎏ to 2,796 ㎉/㎏.