PENGARUH SUHU DAN VARIASI TATA LETAK RAK TERHADAP KINERJA PENGERING KERUPUK SINGKONG (SERMIER) TIPE KABINET

DESTIANI SUPENO, Dr. Joko Nugroho W.K, STP. M.Eng.

2013 | Tugas Akhir | TEKNIK PERTANIAN

Pengeringan sermier umumnya menggunakan metode penjemuran dengan bantuan sinar matahari. Pengeringan dengan metode penjemuran memiliki banyak kelemahan, diantaranya sermier akan terkontaminasi oleh keadaan lingkungan yang belum terjamin kebersihannya dan proses pengeringan sangat tergantung pada cuaca dan keterbatasan lahan. Pengeringan menggunakan mesin pengering tipe kabinet (cabinet dryer) dengan udara panas yang dihembuskan merupakan salah satu alternatif mengatasi kelemahan tersebut. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui dan menganalisis pengaruh suhu udara dan jarak rak pengering terhadap perubahan kadar air dan karakteristik pengeringan sermier menggunakan mesin pengering tipe kabinet. Singkong parut ditimbang sebanyak 100gram dan diratakan diloyang, kemudian dikukus selama 5menit. Adonan yang telah dikukus ditata dalam rak pengering, pengeringan dilakukan dengan memvariasikan tata letak rak dan suhu udara dalam pengering. Variasi tata letak yang dilakukan adalah TL1, TL2 dan TL3. Sedangkan suhu pengering yang digunakan sebesar 50 o C, 60 o C, dan 70 o C. Susut berat sermier diukur dengan menimbang sampel setiap 1jam sekali. Kadar air awal dan kadar air akhir dianalisis menggunakan thermogravimetry. Penurunan kadar air selama proses pengeringan dan penurunan berat bahan digunakan untuk menentukan nilai konstanta laju pengeringan (k). Pengeringan sermier yang dilakukan menggunakan pengering tipe kabinet mampu mengeringkan bahan dari KAwb 65,2; 65,5; 65,6% menjadi KAwb 8,2; 6,8; 6,4% selama 7, 10 dan 12jam. Laju pengeringan rerata pada suhu 50, 60, 70 o C memiliki nilai laju pengeringan 0,105; 0,177 dan 0,201%/menit untuk periode konstan, dan 0,001; 0,005 dan 0,019%/menit untuk periode menurun. Pengering tipe kabinet dengan bahan bakar LPG mampu mengeringkan sermier dengan kapasitas 15kg per 7 jam. Berdasarkan hasil uji karakteristik sermier hasil penelitian, perlakuan pengeringan yang tepat untuk diterapkan dimasyarakat adalah pengeringan dengan suhu 60 o C dengan TL2 atau pengeringan dengan suhu 70 o C dengan TL1.

Drying sermier are generally carried out by method of direct solar drying. Direct solar drying has many disadvantages. Disadvantages of solar drying such as sermier can be contaminated by environmental conditions that are not necessarily hygienic. Direct solar drying process is very dependent upon the weather. limited land for sermier drying process is also one of the disadvantages of direct solar drying.  Drying sermier using the cabinet dryer is carried out by exhalation of forcibly heated air is one alternative for the overcome the disadvantages of direct solar drying. This research was aims to identify and analyze the influence of air temperature and the layout of drying rack variations and their influence on the decreases sermier water content during the drying process. The characteristic of sermier drying results using the cabinet dryer were also analyzed to correct drying process using the cabinet dryer. Grated cassava weighed as much as 100grams then flattened in the tray and then steamed for 5 minutes. Steamed grated cassava that has been laid out in a drying rack, drying is accomplished by varying the layout of the shelf and air temperature in the drying chamber. Layout variations in applied in this study are TL1, TL2 and TL3. Meanwhile, the temperature variation which applied to the drying chamber at 50o C, 60o C, and 70o C. Sermier weight loss was measured by weighing the samples every 1 hours. Initial water content and final water content was analyzed using the thermogravimetry method. Decreased in the sermier water content during the drying process and weight loss of sermier used to determine the value of the drying rate (k). Drying sermier using cabinet dryer is able to eliminate the initial moisture content of 65,2; 65,5; 65,6% to 8,2; 6,8; 6,4% final moisture content for 7, 10 and 12hours.The rate average for constant period of drying process at 50, 60, and 70°C are 0,105; 0,177 and 0,201%/minute, meanwhile the rate average for decreased period of drying process are 0,001; 0,005 and 0,019% /minute. Cabinet dryer fueled by LPG can dry out sermier as much as 15kg per 7hours. Based on the result of sermier characteristics research, the most appropriate sermier drying treatment in the society is to be applied to the drying temperature of 60o C with TL2 or temperature of 70o C with TL1.

Kata Kunci : Pengeringan, tata letak, kerupuk singkong, pengering tipe kabinet