Following the hot vacuum forming of a paper-pulp mixture, the product, an egg carton, is transported on a conveyor for 18 s toward the entrance of a gas-fired oven where it is dried to a desired final water content. It is observed that very little water evaporates during the travel time. So to increase the productivity of the line it is proposed that a bank of infrared radiation heaters, which provide a uniform radiant flux of 5000 W/m², be installed over the conveyor. The carton has an exposed area of 0.0625 m² and a mass of 0.220 kg, 75% of which is water after the forming process. The chief engineer of your plant will approve the purchase of the heaters if they can reduce the water content by 10% of the total mass. Would you recommend the purchase? Assume the heat of vaporization of water is h_fg = 2400 kJ/kg.

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Bank of infrared radiant heaters Gas fired furnace Carton Conveyor