STUDYING THE PROCESS OF VACUUM MICROWAVE DRYING OF GREEN VEGETATION MASS
Now there is a necessity of defining optimum parameters of the process for microwave drying of green vegetation mass that is used as forage for animal during the winter period. Scientific research is carried out in Federal state government-financed scientific institution “North-Caucasian scientific research institute of farm mechanization and electrification” in Zernograd, Rostov region, Russia. Experimental studies were operated on dryer including the drying chamber, consisting of two pair modules of vacuum microwave heating and convection drying and also module regulation of material flow. As dryable material was used preliminarily crushed the leaf and stem mass of lucerne containing 70-78 % of moisture. It has been found that to ensure optimum density of green vegetation mass equal to 220 kg/m3 when microwave drying it is necessary to crush it preliminary providing the medium-length of cutting 20 mm. To maintain optimum density of vegetation mass during microwave drying it is necessary to create and to support backup pressure equal to 1300 pascal in the drying chamber. The research results proved that the combined action of microwave radiation and vacuum is effective drying method of green vegetation mass. The chemical analysis showed that the carotene mass fraction in the dried vegetation mass of lucerne immediately after drying compared to the original has decreased by 4-5%. Use of the developed dryer will make it possible to improve drying of green vegetation mass and prevent redundant destruction of containing in it carotene and vitamins during the drying process and at the subsequent storage.