Numerical Analysis of Convective Drying With Pulsed Airflow: Modeling Heat and Mass Transfer in Biological Material

ABSTRACT This study presents a numerical analysis of convective drying under dynamic thermal conditions aimed at improving process efficiency while limiting thermal stress on heat‐sensitive food materials. A coupled heat and mass transfer model was developed for a biological material, incorporating thermophysical properties dependent on both temperature and moisture content. The model was calibrated using experimental drying data obtained for mango slices at and and was then used to evaluate two dynamic thermal‐control strategies based on pulsed air temperature: upward thermal pulses, with peaks up to , and downward thermal pulses, with temporary reductions up to , under different pulse widths and peak times. Th‐e results showed that upward pulses can accelerate moisture removal by enhancing internal diffusivity, although wide pulses also increase product temperature and may raise the risk of thermal degradation. In contrast, downward pulses maintained the product within a milder thermal range and promoted more gradual moisture redistribution, although without substantial kinetic improvement under the conditions studied. Overall, the model demonstrates that pulsed thermal control is a useful strategy for analyzing nonisothermal drying and may support the design of more robust and sustainable drying protocols for heat‐sensitive food materials.