Author: Mohiodin Nazemi (University of Iceland) - Seaweed is considered advanced biomass, valued for its numerous environmental benefits and versatile applications. However, due to its high water content (approximately 70%), it requires drying before any practical use. This research focuses on investigating the intermittent drying (ID) technique for Bladderwrack seaweed to optimize energy consumption and reduce maximum drying temperatures. Both intermittent drying (ID) and continuous drying (CD) methods were tested in experiments using 15 g of Bladderwrack seaweed each time. The study employed a regular electric heater with solid-state relays, controlled by a Raspberry Pi through Python code. The experiments involved heated (warm) airflow, unheated (cold) airflow, and periods without airflow. The findings revealed that the implementation of the ID method can decrease the maximum temperature of the process by up to 14 °C. Furthermore, applying this method with a longer total time compared to CD can result in an 8% increase in water content reduction when the intermittency ratio (IR) is set to 2/3. Additionally, the research indicates that higher IRs in the ID process, combined with efficient insulation of the drying compartment, can further enhance the water content reduction of the seaweed material.
