MATHEMATICAL MODELLING OF COUPLED HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER IN CONVECTIVE–DIFFUSIVE TEXTILE DRYING

MATHEMATICAL MODELLING OF COUPLED HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER IN CONVECTIVE–DIFFUSIVE TEXTILE DRYING

MKPEDEM K. A; FADEPO J. T; OLAYIWOLA R.O

Department of Industrial Mathematics, Federal University of Science and Technology, Minna. Niger State. Nigeria

kufremkpedem@gmail.com, fadepoj@gmail.com, Olayiwola.rssaq@futminna.edu.ng.

Abstract

This paper describes a mathematical model for coupled heat and mass transfer in a convective-diffusion textile drying process. The model was developed to examine the simultaneous transport of heat and moisture through textile materials during industrial drying procedures. The governing partial differential equations for gas phase temperature, solid phase temperature, air moisture, and tissue moisture were developed using convection, diffusion, and evaporation concepts. Appropriate beginning and boundary conditions were applied, and the equations were translated into dimensionless form with appropriate scaling variables. Analytical solutions for the resulting system were obtained using the eigenfunction expansion technique and computed with MAPLE 17 software. The graphical results showed that moisture concentration decreases with drying time and distance, while temperature distributions vary significantly due to coupled heat and mass transfer effects. The study demonstrates that convective airflow enhances drying efficiency and provides useful information for improving industrial textile drying processes and energy management.

Keywords: Heat and Mass transfer, Textile Drying Process, Textile industries, Eigenfunction Expansion Technique, Textile Fibers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.46654/v3n8-12601