Development of an active solar crop dryer: design analysis and performance evaluation

Abstract

The design analysis and performance evaluation of an active solar crop dryer was undertaken by drying marched cassava. The drying rate, system drying, collector and pick-up efficiencies were 1.6kg/day (14%/day), 9%, 46% and 29% respectively. Comparatively, the drying rate for sun drying was 0.9kg/day. The collector efficiency compared very well to the designed value of 48% and may not need further improvement. The pick-up efficiency also compared well with typical averages for this dryer type. The drying rate and system drying efficiency indicate the need for further development of this dryer. Prediction equations were developed from the results of measured differences in collector, dryer and ambient air temperatures plotted on graphs and applying regression.

Keywords: solar crop dryer, performance evaluation, prediction equations, ambient air temperature

Botswana Journal of Technology Vol. 14(2) 2005: 32-37