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Evaluating the performance of an indirect solar dryer and drying parameters of pineapple: comparing natural and forced convection

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Abstract

The drying kinetics of pineapple and the performance of indirect solar dryers (natural and forced) were experimentally investigated and compared. Three central processing unit fans were fixed in a trapezoidal duct that aided by photovoltaic solar panels. The duct set was integrated to a natural convection solar dryer (setup-1) to facilitate the air velocity in the forced convection dryer (setup-2). Mass and temperature data were recorded and used for estimating the performance parameters and drying kinetics of pineapple. The actual heat supply for setup-1 and setup-2 was 704.25 and 789.38 W, respectively. The average collector and drying efficiencies for setup-1 and 2 were 60.72 and 68.41%, 6.92 and 7.61%, respectively. The average drying rates were 0.375 and 0.447 kg h−1, respectively. Mean moisture diffusivity, heat, and mass transfer coefficients for setup-1 and setup-2 were 7.306 × 10–9 and 8.511 × 10–9 m2 s−1, 9.52 and 12.2 Wm−2 K−1, and 0.00825 and 0.0106 m s−1, respectively. Similarly, specific heat consumptions, moisture extraction rates, and activation energies were 4.843 and 1.573 kWh kg−1, 0.207 and 0.635 kg kWh−1, and 34.76 and 31.83 kJ mol−1, respectively. The sample was dried from 7.91 to 0.417 (db) in 14 and 16 h for setup-1 and 2, respectively. Setup-2 performed better compared to setup-1. Reliability of the results was checked by uncertainty analysis.

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Abbreviations

c p :

Specific heat of air (kJ kg−1 K−1)

db:

Dry based

D e :

Effective moisture diffusivity (m2 s−1)

E ac :

Activation energy (kJ mol−1)

h :

Heat transfer coefficient (W m−2 K−1)

h m :

Mass transfer coefficient (m s−1)

ISD:

Indirect solar dryer

MC:

Moisture content (db)

Q ac :

Actual heat supply (W)

SEC:

Specific energy consumption (kWh kg−1)

SMER:

Specific moisture extraction rate (kg kWh−1)

T :

Temperature (℃)

wb:

Wet based

η c :

Collector efficiency (%)

η d :

Drying efficiency (%)

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the financial support provided by Department of Mechanical Engineering, NIT Warangal referenced as: NITW/MED/Head/2015/408 dated 3rd Dec. 2015.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mechanical Engineering Department, National Institute of Technology Warangal, Warangal, Telangana, 506 004, India

    Mulatu C. Gilago, Vishnuvardhan Reddy Mugi & Chandramohan V.P.

  2. Mechanical Engineering Department, Wachemo University, Hosaena City, Ethiopia

    Mulatu C. Gilago

  3. Mechanical Engineering Department, National Institute of Technology Tiruchirappalli, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, 620 015, India

    Suresh S.

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Gilago, M.C., Mugi, V.R., V.P., C. et al. Evaluating the performance of an indirect solar dryer and drying parameters of pineapple: comparing natural and forced convection. J Therm Anal Calorim 148, 3701–3709 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-023-11955-2

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