Aji Hendra Sarosa, Chandrawati Cahyani, Vivi Nurhadianty, Naufaliyah Rifdah, Thiara Jatayuning Miranti
Kaffir lime leaves are rich in essential oils with diverse bioactivities, including antioxidant, antioxidant stress, antitussive, antileukemic, antihemorrhagic, and antibacterial properties. The drying process, as a pre-treatment step, significantly influences the amount and quality of the essential oils extracted from kaffir lime plant. This study investigates three drying methods: Greenhouse Natural Convection (GNC), Greenhouse Forced Convection (GFC), and Open Sun Drying (OSD). All three methods utilize solar energy as the primary heat source. The purpose of this work was to explore the drying kinetics in the pretreatment of kaffir lime leaves and to create a moisture ratio (MR) model to help improve the drying process. The drying kinetics models used in this investigation are the Henderson and Pabis, Page, and Newton models. Total drying rate values for GNC, GFC, and OSD were 0.1544; 0.1188; and 0.1246 kgH2O/h.m2. The Page model is the best model to describe the MR model for the three-kaffir lime leaf drying techniques. The best drying method for the MR model is GNC with MR = exp(-1.2973t0.2033). This study provides insights into the optimal drying conditions for kaffir lime leaves, as evaluated by drying rate analysis. © 2025 Author(s).
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Brawijaya, Jln MT Haryono 167, Malang, 65145, Indonesia; Institut Atsiri, University of Brawijaya, Malang, Jln. Veteran, Malang, 65145, Indonesia