THIN–LAYER MOISTURE ADSORPTION STUDIES OF BARLEY

Thinlayer moisture adsorption data were measured for barley at temperature ranging from 5.7C to 46.3C andfor relative humidities ranging from 48.2% to 88.6%. Thirtythree tests were conducted, and each test lasted for about a week.The rewetting data were fitted to the Page model, based on the ratios of the differences between the initial and final moisturecontents and the equilibrium moisture content. The Page model was chosen because it is both effective and relatively simple,and when incorporated into a deepbed simulation model requires less computing time than the theoretical diffusion moisturetransfer model. The model gave a very good fit for the moisture content with an average standard error of 0.176% drybasis.The model parameter K is a function of rewetting air temperature, relative humidity, and rewetting time. The parameterN can be simply represented as a productdependent constant without any considerable error in simulating the rewettingrate of barely. It is not necessary to relate the rewetting parameters with the initial moisture content of the sample. The resultspresented here are useful in calculating the moisture transfer process occurring during lowtemperature drying and ventilatedstorage.