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Drying of Rubber Sheet Using Impingement of Multiple Hot Air Jets

In the process for producing ribbed smoked rubber sheet, the rubber sheet drying is the most time and energy consumption process. This research study the possibility in develop new drying system using array of hot air jets impinging directly on rubber sheet in order to reduce time for drying rubber in smoked room and increase productivity of rubber sheets. In the study, the array of jets from jet plate with drilled jet holes in staggered arrangement impinged on the both side of rubber sheet. The effects of jet velocity (Vj=10, 16, 23 m/s), jet temperature (Tj=50, 60, 70°C) and the distance from jet outlet to rubber surface (L=4D, 6D, 8D which D is diameter of jet hole) on drying rate were investigated by measuring weight of rubber sheet change with time. The heat transfer rate on impinged surface was also measured by attaching a heat flux sensor on impinged wall. The results showed that the convective heat transfer coefficient increased when the jet velocity was increased and when the distance from jet was decreased particularly in jet directly impinged region. It was found that the enhancement in heat transfer rate from jets cannot increase the rubber drying rate for all cases because the drying rate depend on rubber property. The process of rubber sheet drying can be divided in 2 periods; in the first drying period, the drying rate decreases with decreased moisture content. The drying rate depended on the initial moisture content and the condition of external effect such as jet velocity, jet temperature and distance from jet outlet to rubber surface. In second drying period, the moisture content is below 20% dry basis. In this period, the drying rate is almost constant near zero. It was also found that the drying for case of L=6D was higher than case of L=4D and 8D. The optimum condition for rubber sheet drying without defects on rubber property after drying was L=6D and Tj=70°C.