Development of a par-boiled rice solar dryer

Abstract

Energy is required in various forms to do useful work and necessary for the continual improvement in the standard of any society. This study presents the development of a par-boiled batch type rice solar dryer using an indirect mode natural convection solar energy. The dryer was designed and constructed to provide easier, faster and more efficient par-boiled rice drying method. The dryer has the capacity of drying 30 kg of the par boiled rice per batch. The major design features of the dryer include a convenient drying process, uniformity in drying product, protect the quality of the drying products, minimal heat loss from the drying chamber. The developed dryer have generated higher air temperature and consequently lowered the relative humidity which are both conducive to improve the drying rate and lower the moisture content of the dried products.  Preliminary performance evaluation of the dryer was also carried out. It was concluded that the dryer could be used for drying par-boiled dry in a batch.

Keywords: Par-boiled, batch, solar dryer, natural convection, rice