The convective drying of banana pieces is investigated experimentally and theoretically. The experimental results show that for all tests Rebinder number is much less than 1 at any time except for the rising rate period. Based on the fact

a simplified drying model of heat and mass transfer is deduced from volume average theory. The model is satisfactory for the drying of porous media with high initial moisture content. The capillary action zone

vapor diffusion zone and transition zone are described in one diffusion equation and a theoretical expression of the effective diffusivity is obtained which takes into account the transfer mechanisms of capillary action and vapor diffusion. The model is solved numerically and the calculation procedure proves to be very simple. It is found that predicted values are in good agreement with the experimental data.