A numerical model for non-steady heat and mass transfer during convective drying of cylindrical quince
slices, with axis parallel to the air flow, is developed. The model is based on the numerical solution of the
coupled one-dimensional heat and mass transport equations, assuming moisture transport due to Fick’s
diffusion, with an effective moisture diffusion coefficient derived by fitting the analytical solution of the
Fick’s law to experimentally derived drying curves, on the basis of an Arrhenius-type temperature dependence.
The necessary convective heat and mass transfer coefficients are obtained from CFD calculations of
the turbulent flow field around the slices using a commercial CFD package. A new correlation of the Nusselt
number, as a function of Prandtl and Reynolds numbers is proposed for the specific geometric flow
configuration. The model is validated against experimental data for different air stream velocities (1 and
2 m/s) and temperatures (40, 50 and 60 C). The model was found to be robust, computationally efficient
and able to capture with sufficient accuracy the time evolution of the temperature and the moisture loss,
with a minimum need for experimental adjustment, and hence, is considered suitable from an engineering
point of view.