CHAPTER 4

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

4.1 Testing and evaluation
Agro product dryer using flat plate collector with phase changing material is
successfully fabricated and testing is done.

Fig 4.1 Testing and evaluation

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4.2 Drying conditions of tomato
• The drying temperature for tomato is 70°C (Mawardii Yusufe et al., (2017))
• The storage moisture content for tomato is <18% (Hossain (2009))

Tomato
100

95

90

85

80

75

70

65

60
Moisture content (%)

55

50

45

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240
Time (mins)

Max 50°C At atmospheric temp

Fig 4.2 Drying curve of tomato with respect to moisture content (%) and time(mins)
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4.3 Drying conditions of okra analysis
• The drying temperature for okra is 40-90°C. (Wankhade et al., (2013))
• The storage moisture content for okra is <10%. (Germain et al., (2017))

Okra
100

95

90

85

80

75

70

65

60
Moisture content (%)

55

50

45

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

0
0 45 90 135 180 225 270 315 360 405 450 495 540
Time (mins)

Max 50°C At atmospheric temp

Fig 4.3 Drying curve of okra with respect to moisture content (%) and time(mins)

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 4.4 Drying conditions of green chilly analysis
• The drying temperature for green chilly is 60°C. (Jain et al., (2006))
• The storage moisture content for green chilly is 8-10%. (Bakane et al., (2014))

Green chilly
100

95

90

85

80

75

70

65

60
Moisture content (%)

55

50

45

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

0
0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 360 390 420 450
Time (mins)

Max 50°C At atmospheric temp

Fig 4.4 Drying curve of green chilly with respect to moisture content (%) and time(mins)
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4.5 Drying conditions of coconut analysis
• The drying temperature for coconut is 60°C. (Deepa et al., (2015))
• The storage moisture content for coconut is <7%. (Wuttigam et al., (2019))

Coconut
100

95

90

85

80

75

70

65

60
Moisture content (%)

55

50

45

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

0
0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 360
Time (mins)

Max 50°C At atmospheric temp

Fig 4.5 Drying curve of coconut with respect to moisture content (%) and time(mins)
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4.6 Drying conditions of carrot analysis
• The drying temperature for carrot is 55°C. (Bisati et al., (2015))
• The storage moisture content for carrot is <4%. (Islam et al., (2018))

Carrot
100

95

90

85

80

75

70

65

60
Moisture content (%)

55

50

45

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

0
0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300
Time (mins)

Max 50°C At atmospheric temp

Fig 4.6 Drying curve of carrot with respect to moisture content (%) and time(mins)
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4.7 Time and average temperature analysis
Table 3.3 Practical results

Time Solar Intensity Ambient temp (T1)

(Hrs.) (W/m2) (°C)

9.00 AM 603 32
10.00 AM 800 36
11.00 AM 998 37
12.00 PM 1015 38
1.00 PM 1047.5 38.5
2.00 PM 914 39
3.00 PM 845 38
4.00 PM 591 8
5.00 PM 500 37
6.00 PM 195 33

4.8 Flat plate collector

Efficiency of Flat plate collector: Efficiency of FPC is given by the ratio of the useful
gain over some specified time period to the incident solar energy over the same period of
time.
η=Qu/A.It
Where,

Qu = Useful heat gain (watts)

Qu = m.Cp ΔT = m.Cp(t0-ti) (watts)
Mass,
m = 750/60(1000)
m = 0.0125 lit/sec
Conversion of (lit/sec) into (kg/sec)m =0.00924 (kg/sec)
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 Temperature
= (t0-ti)
DifferenceΔT
= (35-19)
= 16-degree Celsius Useful heat gain
Qu = m.Cp ΔT =0.00924(4.12) (16)
= 0.6091008 watts
Area,
A = L(B)
A = 580(400)
A 232 mm² (or) 0.232 m²
Efficiency,
η = Qu/A.It
η = 0.6091008/ 0.232(5.02)
η = 13.1796 3 or 13 %

4.9 Blower

L cfm = Pw*3.42/1.08dt L cfm

= required air flowPw
= electric power
Dt = temperature difference
L cfm = 210*600/1.08(1112-556)
= 210cfm
L cfm = 210*600/1.08(1112-400)
= 163.83 cfm
L cfm = 210*600/1.08(1112-111.2) =116.6 cfm

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 CHAPTER 5
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

5.1 Summary
Chapter 1 The project is to fabricate and test the agro product dryer using flat plate
collector and phase changing material to provide a low-cost machine using temperature
sensor controlling the air flow.
Chapter 2 Agro product dryer using flat plate collector and phase changing
material is fabricated by using both mechanical and electrical components. Temperature
sensor is used to control the air flow from the blower to the dryer. Using related paper
works and literature the materials required were chosen correctly.
Chapter 3 Prototype is designed with the help of the software solid works. Design
of each part is done. The design is verified and each part is manufactured and errors are
checked. After the errors are corrected the parts are assembled. After designing it on the
software, the next step is to choose the correct material for fabrication.
Chapter 4 Fabrication and testing of agro product dryer is conducted using solar
power and took the drying time of tomato, okra, green chili, coconut and carrot and the
curve is drawn. Using temperature sensor, the air inlet is controlled to the set degrees in
the dryer. 2D design and the conceptual views are shown in this chapter along with the
specification, precaution, procedure and cost estimation.
Chapter 5 Summary of the project is to dry the agro product using temperature
sensor and controlled air inlet with low cost and user friendly. The overall objective of
the project is to reduce the manual work and increase its production with high accuracy
obtained in short period. Moreover, the up-gradation package is less expensive and more
readily justifiable.
5.2 Benefits of the project
• Easy to use
• Drying time is low
• Compact design
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5.3 Learning from the project
• Knowing the engineering concept theoretically and applying it and developing the
projects helps to gain more knowledge about engineering concepts.
• Solving the problems occurred during the project work gives confidence and
motivates to do new project with new concept which has more challenges.
• Working experience and handling over new equipment is exciting. It gives wide
knowledge on the equipment used for to build the project.
• Working with small scale industries gives a view over what the industries want and
expects and it improves our communication which makes feel free to express our self.
While doing the project the practical knowledge develops along with the theoretical
concept already known.
• It’s a great opportunity to gain working experience and practically knowing about
project planning, purchasing, machining and assembling. It’s a great way to improve
the relationship between students, institute and industries.
5.4 Conclusions
The phase changing material (wax) is used and the flat plate collector has fins so the
air from the blower is equally pass to container. The agro products like okra, carrot, green
chilly, coconut and tomato are used to test and the results are analyzed and the graph is
drawn from the obtained values.
Tomato obtained 70% to 15% moisture content after 4 hours.
Okra obtained 60% to 15% moisture content after 9 hours.
Green chilly obtained 50% to 10% moisture content after 7.5 hours.
Coconut obtained 50% to 10% moisture content after 6 hours.
Carrot obtained 60% to 10% moisture content after 5 hours.
The dryer the air velocity (2.5m/min) and the temperature between 50 and 60 degree
Celsius has a high drying rate with no loss of the agro products. This dryer is cost efficient
so small farmer can buy.

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