Abstract
A mathematical model describing the heat transfer diffusion equation with boundary conditions incorporating the effect of surface moisture transfer during drying is proposed for transient temperature prediction in cylinders and slices of potato. Laplace transform was applied to the solution of the governing equations. The experimental drying constants and convective heat transfer coefficients obtained with and without sample shrinkage were used in the prediction model. Comparison between the predicted and measured mean potato temperature indicates that the predicted values using shrinkage-dependent parameters fit the experimental data better than those obtained without considering shrinkage. The present investigation indicates that the Predvoditelev number, Fourier number and convective heat transfer coefficient have significant influence on the temperature prediction. Results of error analysis reveal that the accuracy of predicted values of sample temperature is within acceptable limits.