MATHEMATICAL MODELING OF THE THERMAL TREATMENT PROCESS OF COTTON FIBER

Abstract

The article addresses the physical model and mathematical description of the thermal treatment process of cotton fiber. The main focus is on the external heat and mass transfer problem, assuming that moisture evaporation occurs predominantly from the fiber surface. The model is constructed in a two-dimensional discrete coordinate system along the fiber’s length and thickness. The foundation of the model comprises heat and mass transfer equations that consider steady-state flow, a laminar boundary layer, and surface evaporation. Special attention is given to accounting for the cooling effect of evaporation, manifested as an internal negative heat source. The developed model enables the description of heat and mass transfer kinetics during thermal treatment, including changes in temperature and water vapor concentration within the boundary layer. The resulting equations can be applied for the analysis and optimization of the cotton fiber thermal drying process.