Design, Construction and Testing of a Hybrid Photovoltaic (PV) Solar Dryer

Abstract

The thin layer drying behaviour of tomato slices using a hybrid drying method compared to solar and open sun drying was investigated. The dryer consists of solar collector, photovoltaic solar panel, battery and drying chamber. The dryer was operated as both a solar-energy dryer and as a hybrid solar dryer. The drying performance of the dryer was evaluated with fresh tomato slice and compared with open sun drying under the same climatic conditions. The dryer recorded a raised temperature of 62℃ attainable in the drying chamber of hybrid dryer and 54 o C attainable in the drying chamber of solar dryer. The moisture content of tomato slices was reduced from 94.22 % wet basis to 10 % in 6 hours for hybrid drying method while it took 9 hours to achieve the same moisture content reduction in the solar dryer. The average drying rate and the efficiency was computed as 0.0800kg/h and 71% for hybrid dryer and 0.0578kg/h and 65% for solar-energy dryer respectively. The quality of the tomato samples dried using the hybrid dryer was superior to those of solar and sun drying methods. From the result of this study it shows that a hybrid solar-energy dryer using photovoltaic (PV) solar panel suggested a promising process for adoption to preserve tomato which can prevent it from spoilage and post-harvest losses. The good quality and shelf stable dried tomato slices is indicative for a sustainable productivity that will create a sound avenue for economic growth in tomato producing regions of the world.

Thermal Performance Analysis of Solar Dryer Integrated with Heat Energy Storage System and a Low-Cost Parabolic Solar Dish Concentrator for Food Preservation

“…However, due to dust, dirt, fungi, bacteria, and animal attacks, the product may be spoiled as studied in [4]. The controlled drying system involves the use of active and passive solar dryers as described in [5]. Thus, the active solar dryer is an efficient solar dryer used in small firms for drying products for a brief time period, but the technology is still expensive for farmers as discussed in [6].…”

A Review on Possible Combination of Solar Dryer Materials for Crops in the Philippines

“…A hybrid solar dryer with solar panels and electrical resistances [21], was also used to dehydrate the moisture content of mushrooms. A comparison of drying methods between direct drying under the sun and hybrid solar dryer was explored by [22], to dry tomato slices in Nigeria. The study's conclusion revealed that the use of hybrid solar-energy dryer using photovoltaic gives a promising result and more superior in tomato preservation than OSD.…”

“…This method of drying is still widely used nowadays. However, open sun drying faces many inherent limitations like overexposure to the sun, which causes food damage, high losses in yield production due to insects, rodents, and birds, longer drying time, and unpredictable climate conditions [1] [2] [3]. With such disadvantages, solar dryers' implementation has drawn promising effects, especially of high-valued crops [4].…”

Review on Solar Drying in Nigeria

“…The collector efficiency was 45% and useful heat of 48.9 W m-2 K -1 was used for about 6 h in drying during the night. Hussein et al (2017) research on the design, construction and test of a hybrid photovoltaic solar dryer showed that, it took 6 h to reduce the moisture content of tomato slices from the initial value of 94.22% to the final value of 10% (w.b.). This is different to the 9 h it took to achieve same moisture content when solar dryer was used.…”