ChE 101 Fundamentals of Chemical Engineering

Wet and Dry Basis

Consider the following problem on drying:

A batch dryer can handle 5,000 kg feed per hour. 5,000 kg of a material containing 30% moisture is
to be dried. How much moisture evaporates per hour if the dried material contains 5% moisture?

WET BASIS

By default: % moisture = % moisture (wet basis)

From the example above:

30 kg H2 O 30 kg H 2 O
30% moisture
100 kg wet material 30 kg H 2 O 70 kg BDS

Using the Tie Component Concept (where BDS is the tie component):

BDS in = BDS out

1 0.30 kg BDS
BDS in = 5000 kg wet material
1 kg wet material
BDS in = 3500 kg

Solving for Y (dried material out):

1 kg product
Y = 3500 kg BDS 3684.21 kg
1 0.05 kg BDS

By Overall Material Balance (OMB):

X = 5000 kg wet material 3684.21 kg dried product

X = 1315.79 kg water evaporated
Using the Algebraic Method:

OMB: 5000 = X + Y
0.30 kg H 2 O 0.05 kg H 2 O
Water Balance: 5000 kg wet material = X + Y
1 kg wet material 1 kg wet material

Solving simultaneously will give:

Y = 3684.21 kg dried product

X = 1315.79 kg water evaporated

DRY BASIS

From the example above:

30 kg H 2 O
30% moisture (db)
100 kg BDS

Using the Tie Component Concept (where BDS is the tie component):

BDS in = BDS out

1 kg BDS
BDS in = 5000 kg wet material
1 0.30 kg wet material
BDS in = 3846.15 kg

Solving for Y (dried material out):

1 0.05 kg product
Y = 3846.15 kg BDS 4038.46 kg
1 kg BDS
 By Overall Material Balance (OMB):

X = 5000 kg wet material 4038.46 kg dried product

X = 961.54 kg water evaporated

Using the Algebraic Method:

OMB: 5000 = X + Y
0.30 kg H 2 O 0.05 kg H 2 O
Water Balance: 5000 kg wet material = X + Y
1 0.30 kg wet material 1 0.05 kg wet material

Solving simultaneously will give:

Y = 4038.46 kg dried product

X = 961.54 kg water evaporated

How about for the case below?