Abstract
The Raffia textilis fiber has interesting specific mechanical properties among other vegetables fibers. But its production remains entirely based on empirical knowledge. The fibers are dried in the open air and in the shade for about 48 hours. This study explores the effect of the drying temperature, from 30° to 70°C, on its drying kinetics. It was found that the drying duration passes from 55 min at 30 °C to 20 min at 70 °C. Among the three models used to simulate the drying kinetics, the Page model yields the best results. The values of the parameters of this model agree with the hypothesis that the water diffusion is one-dimensional. The activation energy of water in the fiber varies from 49 to 71 KJ/mol, depending on the model used. The effective diffusion coefficient is about 3x10-14 m2.s-1 at 30 °C. This low value justifies the traditional use of the raffia leaves for house roofs.Download PDF