Experimental study and modelling of a filtration–consolidation step: Towards the development of a design tool for cassava dewatering

International audience; Dehydration is a critical step in many food processes. In this paper, we propose an original strategy, basedon experiments and modelling, to evaluate the performance of the compression dewatering of cassava and tohelp design dewatering equipment. The dewatering of various grated cassava roots was experimentally studiedthrough 42 experiments in a filtration–consolidation cell in the pressure range 4–21 bar. The dewateringperformance was evaluated in terms of moisture content limit and dewatering kinetics. Each filtration–consolidation experiment was first individually fitted with a model combining Hermia cake filtration andShirato consolidation mechanisms using an original systematic approach. Then, a global model, linking the cakefiltration and consolidation properties to the applied pressure, was validated over the whole set of experimentswith an average RMSE of 13% on the cake moisture content. The results demonstrated the relevance of thechosen identification procedure and modelling strategy for the design of a compression dewatering step.