摘要

This paper present a mathematical modelling and experimental study of thin layer forced solar drying of Mentha viridis. The air temperature varied from 40 to 50 °C; the relative humidity from 42% to 56%; and for two drying air flow rate 0.0296 and 0.0592 kg/s. In order to estimate and select the suitable model that predicts the experimental result, thirteen different mathematical models, which are semi-theoretical and/or empirical, were applied to the experimental data and compared according to their coefficients of determination (r, χ² and RMSE), which were predicted by non-linear regression analysis using the Origin Computer Program. It was deduced that the Midilli Kucuk model could sufficiently describe thin layer forced solar drying of mint leaves, in evaluation by considering the coefficients of determination, (r) of 0.9998 and chi-square (χ²) of 4.5875·10⁻⁶ and root mean square error (RMSE) of 3.9104·10⁻³. The expression of the drying rate equation is determined empirically from the characteristic drying curve.