ABSTRACT
Intermittent drying is considered as one of the promising solutions for improving food product quality and energy saving. Unlike conventional drying, this process removes moisture by employing variable drying conditions with a tempering phase or creating different zones of material flow within the dryer chamber to allow continuous diffusion of moisture from the interior. Intermittent drying involves varying temperatures of drying medium, manipulating flow rates of drying medium, as well as feedstock introduction. Many operating modes are available to carry out the periodic change required in an intermittent drying. Intermittency can be applied to batch and continuous dryers by varying the supply of thermal energy, the mode of energy input as well as the frequency and/or magnitude of energy input. Intermittent drying has proved to be very useful to the existing industrial practice as it provides higher thermal efficiency, shorter effective drying period, longer shelf life and better quality attributes. This chapter--> covers the types of intermittent dryers which can perform the intermittency required in the drying conditions as well as the product quality aspect when intermittent dryer is used.
