The paper presents quantitative comparison of results concerning temperature and water content changes in a soil heated by air. In description of the heat and soil water movement two models have been used: simplificated model of Luikov and model of Philip and de Vries. An analysis of the heat and soil water flow has been made in a reproducible element of the installation, assuming symmetry and isolation of both edges of the element. Calculations by means of simulation have been made for the sand. On the basis of achieved results has been stated that trends of changes of the analysed values describing the physical state of the sand are comparable. Compatibility between values of temperature and water content calculated by means of the analysed models amounts from 61 to 92%. The developed numerical algorithms (both for drying model and de Vries model) make possible to introduce changes of the model input parameters and to carry out experiments by means of simulation. Nevertheless, solution of the algorithm for drying model is more simple because a unilateral feedback takes place.