The present study analyzed the physical performance of the stationary dryer with axial air flow distribution, using a commercial dryer compared with prototypes. Corn seeds were used in a 0.70m layer. The temperature of the drying air was 47 +/-3ºC, in the commercial bean dryer and 40 +/-1ºC in the prototype dryer. The operation time, seed position in the mass and the effect on the physical quality were consideed. For this, the ambient and drying air temperatures and the seed moisture content were characterized, internal fissures were examined visually and coloration test with iodine dye was applied. It was concluded from the results that with low relative humidity lower there is over drying of the lower layer and a delay in drying the upper layer, resulting in seed moisture gradients, at the end of the drying process of more than 4.5 percentile points; the increase in the drying air temperature determined the rise in the water removal rate and increases in the percentage of corn seeds with internal fissures and that the second layer of seeds began to dry when the first layer reached moisture content lower than 14%.
Zea mays; stationary flow drying; internal fissures
