The study was devoted to the selection of effective modes of vacuum drying of honey. The effect of drying layer thick- ness and heat flux density on the efficiency of vacuum dehy- dration of honey was studied. The experiments on vacuum drying of honey with heat flux density from 2 to 10 kW/m2 were carried out. The dependences of relative mass of the product on the duration of vacuum drying were obtained. With increasing heat flux density, drying time was shortened: at heat flux density of 2, 4 and 6 kW/m2, drying time was 270 ± 10, 240 ± 10 and 225 ± 10 minutes, and with heat flux densityof 8 and 10 kW/respectively 210 ± 10 and 195 ± 10 minutes. It also changed the moisture content of dehydrated product: with an increase in the heat flux density from 2 to 10 kW/m2, it varied from 4.5 to 5 %. Experimental studies on vacuum dry- ing of honey with the thickness of the product layer from 5 to 25 mm were carried out. It was found out that increasing the thickness of the layer entailed the increase in the duration of drying, an increase in the moisture content of dehydrated product and the decrease in its quality. However, under these circumstances the productivity of drying device increased. On the basis of conducted studies, effective modes of vacuum drying of honey were determined - heat flux density of 4 kW/m2, the thickness of the product layer - 15 mm. It wasexpedient to dehydrate honey at residual pressure of 4 ± 0.5 kPa and under the temperature in the chamber of 40 ° C. Un- der these conditions, drying time is 275 ± 10 minutes, and or- ganoleptic estimate of dry product equaled 34 points out of 40.
honey, vacuum drying, moisture content
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