Drying characteristics and quality of lemon slices dried undergone Coulomb force assisted heat pump drying

In this research, a Coulomb force assisted heat pump (CF-HP) dryer was invented for the purpose of improving the drying characteristics and product quality of biomaterials. As compared to heat pump drying alone, the assistance of Coulomb force in heat pump dryer enhanced the drying rates and effective moisture diffusivity of lemon slices up to 26%, which eventually shortened the total drying time to 40%. This saved the total energy consumption of HP drying by 31.5%. High retention of vitamin C and TPC were also found in CF-HP dried slices due to mild drying temperature and fast drying rate. (Author)