Study of thermophysical properties of Ganoderma lucidum.

This study determined the thermophysical parameters of Ganoderma lucidum, such as volume density, specific heat capacity and latent heat of vaporization of the moisture in the material. The volume density was experimentally determined using the method of liquid displacement and Archimedes principle using Toluene solvent. The specific heat capacity was determined by the method of a mixture using a calorimeter. The experimental data were statistically analyzed to determine the volume density and the specific heat capacity of Ganoderma lucidum as the function of moisture content of Ganoderma lucidum. The increase of the moisture content of Ganoderma lucidum increased the volume density and the specific heat capacity of Ganoderma lucidum. The volume density increased from 607.7 to 824.8 kg/m3, and the specific heat capacity increased from 2087.3 to 3480.3 J/kg.°C as the moisture content of Ganoderma lucidum varied in a range of 0.18 and 2.33 (db). Besides, the study established the formula for calculating the latent heat of vaporization of the moisture in Ganoderma lucidum as the function of the drying air temperature and the equilibrium moisture content of the material. The latent heat of vaporization of the moisture in Ganoderma lucidum decreased when the drying air temperature and the equilibrium moisture content increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]