Determination of moisture ratio in parts of the hop cone during the drying process in belt dryer
Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Agricultural Machines, Kamýcká 129, CZ165 00 Praha 6 - Suchdol, Czech Republic
*Correspondence: hermanek@tf.czu.cz
Abstract:
The paper deals with monitoring the moisture content of hop cones and their parts (strigs and bracts) in PCHB 750 hop belt dryer. When drying hop cones, the critical point is the sufficient drying of the strig. These are therefore dried to a moisture content of 6 to 8%. This exact moisture provides a sufficient guarantee ensuring that the strig is dried up. On the other hand, bracts are dried up to such a level which makes pressing the hops impossible. Therefore, after drying, the bracts are remoistened. This is called hops conditioning. After conditioning the moisture content of hops is optimal, ranging between 8 and 11%. There is no doubt that drying or any further moistening does not benefit the hop cone.
During the experiment, the moisture content was determined regarding the whole hop cones as well as the bracts and strigs separately, the samples of which had been taken from the hops prior to entering the dryer, from different parts of belts in the dryer and subsequently before and after the conditioning. The moisture content was determined by means of Mettler HE53 moisture analyzer. After the bracts and strigs had been dried, we calculated their weight ratio which was approx. 90% of bracts and 10% of strigs. Based on this ratio the weighted average was calculated which corresponds to the moisture content of the whole hop cone.
The measured values indicate that the average moisture content of hops below 10% was already at the beginning of the third belt of the dryer. The hops had been unnecessarily overdried along the whole third belt. Another output refers to the moisture ratio of hop cones, bracts and strigs in different parts of the dryer. The obtained values will serve as a basis for the follow-up design of a device for monitoring the dryer parameters and its visualisation.
Key words:
belt dryer, bract, drying, hop, hop cone, moisture., strig