Optimization of specific energy consumption in the dry process for bitter quinoa varieties
Based on the application of a spouted bed (LFTS)
The specific energy consumption has been minimized for the novel dry process of bitter quinoa, by means of a spouted bed. The operating conditions and basic operating characteristics of the spouted bed were studied, in the removal of saponins from white Royal Quinoa grown in Oruro and Potosí.
Two glass spouted bed reactors of cylindrical-conical configuration at laboratory scale of 7,5 and 20 cm in diameter, nozzles of 1,4 to 5 mm in diameter and static spouted bed heights between 12,5 and 17,5 cm were used. The reactors were fed with air using a compressor of 400 L/min capacity, equipped with two flow meters (10-280 L/min) and a moisture and oil filter.
Samples of white Royal Quinoa were processed in the reactors according to an experimental design, evaluating the effect of the factors: reactor diameter, nozzle diameter, spouted bed height and process time on the specific energy consumption, the percentage of saponins removal and the percentage of mass loss.
The most important results of the study are:
• The most preponderant factors on the specific energy consumption are: the nozzle diameter, bed diameter, process time and bed height, achieving minimum specific energy consumption values (0.23 kWh kg-1) with the following combination : 3 mm nozzle diameter, 20 cm bed diameter, 12.5 cm bed height and 60 min of time.
• Under these conditions, a value close to 0.01% of saponins and a loss of mass of less than 5% were obtained. These values are lower than those obtained in previous studies.
Published in Investigación & Desarrollo, No. 11, pp. 5 - 19, 2011
Responsible:
Ramiro Escalera Vásquez PhD.
Email: rescalera@upb.edu
Researchers:
Carla Quiroga Ledezma PhD.
Luis Arteaga Weill MSc.
Mauricio Obando Estrada
