Optimization of solar thermal energy for drying agricultural products

Risni, Bin Duad. (2008) Optimization of solar thermal energy for drying agricultural products. [Final Year Project Report] (Unpublished)

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Abstract

Agriculture especially pepper is the main source of livelihood for the people in Sarawak. Drying of agriculture products is still the most widespread preservation technique. Solar drying can be considered as an elaboration of sun drying and is an efficient system of utilizing solar energy. The purpose if this project was to study the performance of the solar drier for drying pepper under the sun. The drier consists of a transparent acrylic board covered flat plate and a fan to create air flow in order to reduce the humidity. This drier has an area O.6m2 with height O.2m. The effect of the air flow by fan through the drier was examined. Also the effectively of acrylic board as a top cover and availability of solar dryer to absorb heat was examined. During the experiments, peppers that dried to the final were content of very lower percentage of humidity. In all the cases the use of the solar drier leads to considerable reduction of drying time in comparison to sun drying. Samples dried in the solar drier were completely protected from insects, rain and dusts, and the dried samples were of high quality in tenns of dry and hygienic. This system can be used for drying various agricultural products. Also, it is simple in construction and can be constructed at a low cost with locally obtainable materials.

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