CINÉTICA DE SECAGEM DOS GRÃOS DE MILHO CULTIVAR AG 7088

The aim of this work was adjust different mathematical models to experimental data of drying maize(Zea mays L.), determine and evaluate the effective diffusion coefficient, and obtain the activation energy for theprocess during the drying air in various conditions. The experiment was carried out at IF Goiano (Campus Rio Verde).The grains of maize cultivar AG 7088 with an initial moisture content of 0.235 (kilogram of water per kilogram of drymatter) were subjected to drying in an oven with forced air ventilation in five temperature conditions: 40, 55, 70, 85 and100 °C, until they reach the moisture content of 0.149 ± 0.009 (kilogram of water per kilogram of dry matter). Amongthe ten models analyzed, the model of Newton presented the best fit to describe the drying phenomena. The effectivediffusion coefficient of maize increased with increased air temperature and the ratio of effective diffusion coefficientand the drying temperature can be described by the Arrhenius equation, which has an activation energy for liquiddiffusion in drying maize 19.09 kJ mol-1.