Development and Performance of a Solar Dryer Hybrid Photovoltaic Thermal System

Abstract

A solar dryer hybrid photovoltaic thermal (PV/T) system has been designed, built and its performance has been studied. This research aims to develop a stand-alone solar dyer system, portable and less maintenance. This system consists of three main parts; PV/T system with configuration-Z thermal absorber plate, multi-direction solar collector with cross absorber plate and drying chamber. Solar thermal collector which was designed in the system is called a multi-direction solar collector because the solar radiation does not get the heat through the upper part but also on the lower sides. This situation will then increase the amount of heat that will absorb by the absorber plate. The cross absorber plate will be used in a multi-direction solar collector because it can be assembled row by row. Six sets of cross absorber plates are used in this system. PV/T airflow uses configuration-Z absorber plate which is placed under the photovoltaic (PV) module. The amount of heat produced from the PV/T configuration-Z is used as the pre-heat before the hot air flows to the multi-direction solar collector. While electric energy from PV is used to operate the ventilation fan. The solar dryer hybrid PV/T system tested its effectiveness in the field under the daily solar radiation. The total efficiency generated from PV/T configuration-Z system is in the range of 35% to 52%. For the multi-direction solar collector system, the output range was generated between 32.0 °C to 46.6 °C, whereas the thermal efficiency is in the range of 50% to 70%.