INVESTIGATING THE PERFORMANCE OF SOLAR DRYER USING PHASE CHANGE MATERIAL

Abstract

Sun drying is the most popular technique utilized to preserve agricultural products in India. The rate of drying is affected by a number of factors, including but not limited to: the amount of available solar radiation, the temperature & wind speed of the surrounding area, the initial moisture content of the crop, the crop's absorptive surface area, and the product's mass per unit of exposed area. the present study was undertaken to evaluate solar dryer integrated with heat storage system for drying vegetables and fruits. Drying rate get reduced due to intermittent sunshine, interruption, and rains. Solar energy is available only during the day, and hence, its application requires efficient thermal energy storage so that the excess heat collected during sunshine hours may be stored for later use during the night. The overall objective of this research project is the conceptual development of a solar dryer for drying agricultural products.