Regardless of how brilliant the design, or how skilled the fabricators might be, it is the operators of a Tray Dryer that will make it a success, or failure. The following information is offered as a starting point from which you will be able to jump-start your introduction into the fascinating technology of dehydration. The intent is to provide a basic understanding of dehydration, but without the scientific jargon. This paper is broken down into the physics of dehydration, recognition of the four phases of dehydration, maximizing production and finally, how to trouble shoot the process when you are having problems.
Dehydration is more an art form than an exact science.
As your personal experience grows, don t be afraid to experiment. There will always be more than one way to dry a specific product. Your challenge is to find that special mix of temperature, air velocity, relative humidity and dwell time that maximizes both production and product quality. In its simplest form, dehydration technology is thousands of years old. Dried meat on sticks and corn dried in the sun are two examples of early man s ingenuity.