This work aimed to evaluate different mathematical models to determine the curve of the drying of Mikania glomerata Spreng. . For the conduction of the experiment, a drier with forced ventilation was used, with 4 trays, using liquefied petroleum gas as heating source. Six drying treatments were carried out, that is, with hot air at 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80ºC, as well as drying with air at room temperature. For all the treatments, the drying air speed, through the mass of plants, were kept at, approximately, 0.5 m s-1. For the adjustment of the mathematical models to the experimental data, nonlinear regression analysis was performed through the Quasi-Newton method, using the computational program STATISTICA 6.0®, and the values of the parameters of the models were estimated in function of the temperature of the drying air. But only the model considered by Midilli et al. presented satisfactory adjustment to describe the process of drying Mikania glomerata Spreng., regardless of the temperature of the drying air, while the model of diffusion approximation was suitable for room temperature and hot air at 60ºC.
Medicinal plants; mathematical models; drying kinetics
