Bay leaf dryıng ın a dryer controlled PLC assısted head pump

In this study, the drying of bay leaves were aimed in a dryer which had with controlled PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) assisted heat pump. The bay leaf, that has a high potential in Turkey, grows in Mediterranean and Aegean regions. Dried bay leaves are used in cosmetics, food and the other industrial applications. The dryer assisted heat pump with controlled PLC consisted of air and cooling cycles. PLC provided the control of the heat pump drying system. Experiments were done in a heat pump dryer at 40 °C, 45 °C and 50 °C drying air temperatures and 400 m3/h and 600 m3/h drying volumetric air flow rates. The COPws (Whole system Coefficient of Performances) of this system were calculated as 2.41 at 400 m3/h volumetric flow rate and 40 °C, 2.92 at 400 m3/h volumetric flow rate and 45 °C, 2.34 at 400 m3/h volumetric flow rate and 50 °C. Similarly, they were calculated as 2.79 at 600 m3/h volumetric flow rate and 40 °C, 3.02 at 600 m3/h volumetric flow rate and 45 °C, 2.75 at 600 m3/h volumetric flow rate and 50 °C. The SMERws (Whole system Specific Moisture Extraction Rates) of the whole system was determined as 12.61 g/kWh at 400 m3/h volumetric flow rate and 40 °C, 11.64 g/kWh at 400 m3/h volumetric flow rate and 45 °C, 11.09 g/kWh at 400 m3/h volumetric flow rate and 50 °C and 13.54 g/kWh at 600 m3/h volumetric flow rate and 40 °C, 10.55 g/kWh at 600 m3/h volumetric flow rate and 45 °C and finally 12.96 g/kWh at 600 m3/h volumetric flow rate and 50 °C.