Thermal energy consumed by the microwave oven was calculated
using Eq. (8) while the mechanical energy consumed by the
vacuum pump was calculated using Eq. (9) [3,4]:
EUmec ¼ L t 3600 ð9Þ
2.1.5. Microwave–convective dryer
Total energy (thermal and mechanical) consumed during
microwave–convective drying was calculated by summing
Eqs. (1) and (8). Thermal energy consumed in the convective–
microwave dryer was calculated using Eq. (10) [40,67].