Kinetics and Mathematical Modeling of the Drying Process of Sword Beans

The thin-layer drying performance of four varieties of Sword bean seeds was investigated using a laboratory drying oven at temperatures between 30°C and 40°C to identify the best mathematical model for describing their drying kinetics. The Sword bean seeds were dried over 68.04 to 171.96 minutes, with weights measured until reaching a constant value. Drying data, including moisture removal and drying rates, were analyzed as moisture ratios and fitted to six drying mathematical models. The Midilli model emerged as the most accurate for the Sword bean variety TCG-2, achieving a high correlation coefficient (R² = 0.9912) and a low root mean square error (RMSE = 0.0122). Effective diffusion coefficients for the four varieties ranged from 3.09 × 10⁻¹⁰ to 7.23 × 10⁻¹⁰ m²/s. respectively This study underscores the Midilli model’s suitability for predicting the drying behavior of Sword bean varieties under the tested conditions, offering a framework for optimizing drying processes in post-harvest handling. The findings provide practical insights for scaling up drying processes in agro-industrial applications, ensuring consistency and quality in large-scale production. This advancement could enhance the efficiency and sustainability of processing Sword beans and similar legumes, benefiting agro-processing industries and contributing to improved post-harvest management practices.