Experimental Validation of Thickness and Moisture Effects on the Energy Efficiency of Intermittent vs. Continuous Drying

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Abstract
Intermittent drying (ID) is often reported to be more energy-efficient than continuous drying (CD), although prior studies frequently lack consistent comparison conditions. A recent meta-analysis suggested a probable correlation between material thickness, initial water content, and the specific energy savings of ID. The present study was conducted to experimentally validate these findings under controlled and comparable conditions. Drying experiments were performed using a porous sponge model, with thicknesses ranging from 12 to 48 mm and initial water contents from 30% to 70% (wet basis), while maintaining identical operating conditions and total drying time for both ID and CD. Results show that the energy advantage of ID is condition-dependent rather than universal. For thin or low-moisture samples, the specific energy consumption ratio (ĒCD/ĒID) remained close to unity (~0.97–1.00), indicating negligible differences. In contrast, for thicker (≳36 mm) and wetter (≳60%) samples, the ratio reached ~ 1.05, corresponding to energy savings of up to 4–5%. These findings support a threshold-like behavior governed by internal moisture redistribution during tempering. The study provides experimentally validated criteria for selecting drying strategies and highlights the importance of fair comparison under equal drying duration

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