Comparison of Drying Systems in Terms of Energy Consumption, Effective Mass Diffusion, Exergy Efficiency and Improvement-Sustainability Index in the Valorizations of Waste Tomatoes by Thermal Processes

In this study, the effect of carrier agent added at the rates of 5% and 10% to tomatoes with physical defects that have no market value and the effects of convective (CD), vacuum (VD), hybrid (HD), temperature controlled microwave (MTCM) methods on the energy parameters of powder production processes were investigated. The products reached their final moisture values in the shortest time with the MTCM method and in the longest time with the CD method. Effective moisture diffusion varied between 8.01 × 10^− 8-1.97 × 10^− 6 m²/s. It has been determined that MTCM has the lowest energy consumption. SMER values of drying processes varied between 0.0018329 and 0.007384 kg/kWh. SEC values ranged between 546.76 and 135.42 kWh/kg. Exin, Exout, Exevap, Ex-Vdryer, Ex-Vdrying, SI and IP values of drying processes are 3.65–4.54 J/s, 3.13–3.43 J/s, 10.91–14.17 kJ/kg, 2.94–3.72, 0.72–0.90, respectively. The values varied between 3.60 and 9.99 and 0.34–0.91. It has been observed that the VD method is more advantageous than other drying methods in terms of exergy energy values. The MTCM method was found to be more advantageous in terms of drying time and energy consumption parameters.