An experimental investigation on a locally fabricated dryer integrated with a novel solar air heater for the drying of potato slices
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
12-21-2022
Abstract
Typical fuel-driven commercial dryers have excellent efficiency with homogeneous high-quality output, but they are beyond the access of farmers with limited agro land and financial resources. In this study, drying trials with potato slices were carried out utilizing a laboratory scale bunt drier coupled with an unique solar air heater. Assuming the set-up as mixed mode type solar dryer, performance of the dryer during the drying of potato slices was studied and the results were compared with that of open sun drying (OSD). The novel two pass solar air heater used in this project has aluminum turbulators arranged in staggered fashion. The absorber plate with aluminium turbulators present inside the double pass solar air heater reached a maximum temperature of 68 degrees C. The average efficiency of the novel solar heater was about 72%. The moisture content of potato was reduced to 18.23% in 8 hours from 82.15%. The maximum thermal efficiency of the dryer was determined as 34%.The average specific energy requirement was estimated as 1.61 kWhkg(-1) and the shrinkage ratio was found to be 0.2 at the end of 7 hours.
Keywords
Solar dryer, Solar air heater, Turbulators, Potato drying, Drying efficiency
Divisions
umpedac
Funders
Department of Science and Technology Fund for Improvement of Science and Technology Infrastructure in University (Grant No: SR/FST/College-096/2017)
Publication Title
Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization, and Environmental Effects
Volume
44
Issue
4
Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Publisher Location
530 WALNUT STREET, STE 850, PHILADELPHIA, PA 19106 USA