Abstract
Solar energy provides desired thermal energy for diverse applications, including industrial heating, domestic cooking, power generation, desalination, and agri-food preservation. Despite extensive research on solar drying from the scientific community, there are limited practical applications for small-scale use. This review attempts to analyze the design features of three specific types of dryers for food drying applications: solar evacuated tube dryers, biomass dryers, and hybrid solar dryers. The thermal performance of the three dryers is evaluated in terms of drying time, moisture removal, and temperature attained during drying. The review also assesses the prospects of solar dryers, highlighting the need for further research into innovative designs and advanced drying capabilities. The study provides valuable information for enhancing dryer performance with various integrated solutions.
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Naveen Prabhu performed the literature search and data analysis and drafted the article. Dhanushkodi Saravanan supervised and critically revised the work. Sudhakar Kumarasamy co-supervised and contributed to the idea for the article. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.”
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Prabhu, N., Saravanan, D. & Kumarasamy, S. Eco-friendly drying techniques: a comparison of solar, biomass, and hybrid dryers. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30, 95086–95105 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-28807-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-28807-z