CONCLUSIONS
A box solar dryer with free convection was found to be a simple, compact
system and more effective for steamed glutinous rice drying than open sun drying. It
can dehydrate steamed glutinous rice in 6 h under meteorological conditions at Walailak
University in Nakhon Si Thammarat province during June-August 2008. Therefore, the
solar dryer is suitable for use in the production of dried steamed glutinous rice.
However, the color of the product could be improved. The best drying model for
describing the drying kinetics of steamed glutinous rice for 2 methods is the Henderson
& Pabis model.