Determination of Optimum Process Parameters of the Drying Rate of Cassava Samples Using the Square Design Method

¹ Department of ERDP, Projects Development Institute (PRODA), Enugu, Enugu State, Nigeria
² Department of Mechanical Engineering, Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara State, Nigeria
³ Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Technology, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, 2028, South Africa
⁴ Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, Afe Babalola University, Ado, Ekiti State, Nigeria
⁵ Department of Mechanical Engineering, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria

^* Corresponding author: ip.okokpujie@abuad.edu.ng

Abstract

Drying is the removal of moisture content and other chemical compositions. The study aims to improve the process parameters involved in cassava chip drying. A statistical approach was utilized to evaluate the significance of the drying variables, such as the various cassava species, the drying temperature, and the drying duration, and their influences on the drying rate of cassava chips. The Latin Square Experiment Design was taken into account when determining the interaction between the critical optimum parameters. At the P 0.05 significance level, an ANOVA was used to analyze the linear and interaction influence of the drying variables on various quality parameters. The study used analysis to compare the F-statistic at four degrees of freedom and obtained an optimal significant level of 3.26. Also, the results showed a significant influence of temperature and period of drying on the drying rate of the cassava chips, but the cassava species did not affect the drying rate of the cassava chips. Also, the results from the statistical analysis were validated and can be employed for monitoring the drying process of cassava chips.