SOLAR HEATED AIR RICE DEHYDRATOR (S.H.A.R.

D) FOR COST EFFECTIVE

MEANS OF DRYING PALAY

A Project Study Proposal

Presented to

The Faculty of the Department of Mechanical Engineering

Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

for the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering

Paul M. Bahian

Johville C. Hinampas

Rene A. Vergara Jr.

May 2022
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Approval Sheet

This project study entitled SOLAR HEATED AIR RICE DEHYDRATOR (S.H.A.R.D)
FOR COST EFFECTIVE MEANS OF DRYING PALAY, prepared and submitted by
Paul M. Bahian, Johville C. Hinampas, and Johville C. Hinampas, in partial fulfillment of
the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering has
been examined, accepted and passed for oral examination.

DR. ELMER B. DOLLERA, PME

Chairperson. ME Department

PANEL OF EXAMINERS
Approved by the Committee on Oral Examination with the Grade of ______

ENGR. YURI G. MELLIZA ENGR. NESTOR G.

IPANAG, PME
Member Member

ENGR. CARLO DELA CRUZ DR. ROGELIO C. GOLEZ

JR., PME

Member Member

Accepted and approved in partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor
of Science in Mechanical Engineering.

DR. ELMER B. DOLLERA, PME DR. HERCULES R. CASCON

Chairman Dean
Mechanical Engineering Department College of Engineering
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Acknowledgment

This study would not have been possible without the help of a significant number of

people. However, the researchers would like to convey their gratitude to the following

individuals:

To Dr. Elmer B. Dollera for his unending support and guidance, which helped us

finish our project successfully.

To Engr. Nestor G. Ipanag, PME, Dr. Rogelio C. Golez, PME, Engr. Carlo Dela

Cruz and Engr. Yuri G. Melliza for sharing their knowledge in order to strengthen our

research, as well as for their encouragement, and support throughout the semester.

To the parents and families of the researchers for their endless support and

understanding their children’s sleepless nights as well as providing motivation through

difficult times.
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Abstract

Rice, being a staple in the Filipino diet, is a big part of the agricultural industry. Rice

moisture plays a huge role in the market selling price. This is drying the rice grains

effectively is a critical process. This study aims to design and simulate a dehydrator that

uses solar energy to heat air. The dimension of the solar collector, which is responsible

for heating the air, is 1.5m x 1m. These measurements are inferred from a previous

study done by B.K. Bala and J.L Woods. The simulation results showed that the

average outlet temperature is 56 °C. This is delta of 29 °C from the ambient

temperature of 27 °C. The air velocity at the outlet is also 0.133 m/s. The designed

dehydrator offers more than just drying the rice grains with solar heated air. It can also

protect the rice grains from bad elements like debris, insects and animals thereby

increasing the quality of rice grain. It also lessens the workload of the farmer by

protecting the rice grains from sudden rainfall which can damage rice grains. The

researchers can conclude that drying via solar heated air and passive airflow is viable

and the cost is not entirely unreasonable.

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Table of Contents

Approval Sheet..........................................................................................1
Acknowledgment......................................................................................2
Abstract.....................................................................................................3
Chapter 1 The Problem And Its Background............................................6
1.1 The Problem.....................................................................................6
1.2 The Background of The Study..........................................................6
1.3 General Objective............................................................................7
1.4 Specific Objectives...........................................................................7
1.5 Significance of the study..................................................................7
1.6 Scope and Limitations......................................................................8
1.7 Conceptual and Theoretical Framework..........................................8
Chapter 2 Review of Related Literature...................................................9
2.1 Rice Farming in the Philippines........................................................9
2.2 Rice Drying.....................................................................................10
2.3 Heat Transfer.................................................................................11
2.4 Convective Heat Transfer...............................................................11
2.5 Using Solar Energy in Dehydrators for Agricultural Food
Processing............................................................................................12
2.6 Solar Dryer Design..........................................................................14
Chapter 3 Methodology..........................................................................15
3.1 Methodology..................................................................................15
3.2 Research Design Flow Process.......................................................15
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3.3 Gantt Chart.....................................................................................16

3.4 Design of the rice dehydrator........................................................17
3.5 Simulation......................................................................................17
Fair Weather Conditions:..........................................................................................18
Air Properties:...........................................................................................................18
Aluminum Properties:................................................................................................18
Glass Properties:.......................................................................................................18
Wood Properties:......................................................................................................19

Chapter 4 Results and Discussions.........................................................20

4.1 Specific Objective 1: To design and simulate a rice grain
dehydrator...........................................................................................20
4.2 Specific Objective 2: To perform a financial analysis of the
dehydrator...........................................................................................27
Chapter 5 Conclusion and Recommendations.......................................30
5.1 Conclusion......................................................................................30
5.2 Recommendations.........................................................................30
5.2.1To the Department of Agriculture......................................................................30
5.2.2 To the Future Researchers..............................................................................31
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Chapter 1
The Problem and its Background

1.1 The Problem

Rice grains is notably one of the most planted crops by farmers in the Philippines.

Filipinos are known to be rice eaters which creates demand of grains in the market. The

Philippines is the world's ninth largest rice producer, accounting for 2.8% of worldwide

rice output. About 80% of Filipinos eat rice as their main meal. It is the country's single

most significant crop. Traditional drying processes, such as mat drying, where threshed

palay (unhusked rice) is spread on mats and canvas, are still in use. Another option is to

use pavement drying for large-scale drying. Palay is set out on special grain-drying

pavements in this area. The final option is to use an entire section of highway as a rice

drier. This is dangerous for rice dryers as well as cars who must take up half of the road

to avoid running over the grains.

1.2 The Background of The Study

Rice drying in roads are still in practice today in the Philippines especially in rural

areas. Some farmers who don’t have a proper place for drying their rice grains place

their harvest in roads occupying one portion of the road causing motorists to change

lanes in order to avoid destroying the grains. Not all farmers can afford to construct or

find a designated place for their grains to be dried into. Big time farmers have some sort

of garage and field specified for the drying of their rice grains.
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This project is inspired by the efforts of the hardworking Filipino farmers. This

project aims to help the farmers by giving them a way for drying grains without needing

to use the roads and endangering their crops and even the lives of commuters.

This study focuses on constructing a rice grain dehydrator using hot air and solar

power to be the alternative way of drying rice grains. Information gathered from the

created device and its mechanisms can be used to compare data and make it more cost

efficient for the farmers. This study attempts to use the created device to dry the rice

grains in a more convenient manner without losing the integrity of the crops.

1.3 General Objective

The study aims to create a rice grain dehydrator using hot air

1.4 Specific Objectives

1. To design and simulate a rice grain dehydrator

1.1 To determine the rise of air temperature and air velocity.

1.2 To determine the amount of rough rice drained per hour.

2. To perform a financial analysis of the dehydrator.

1.5 Significance of the study

Rice is a staple food source in the Philippines. That is why it is not a surprise that it is

the most planted crop in the country. However small farmers do not have the luxury of

owning their own dryers to dry their grains which sometimes consist of a wide cement

floor that is in direct contact of the sun. This forces those farmers to use road pavement

as dryers for their grain which is not only dangerous for the farmers but to motorists as

well. Creating a device that can help with small farmers while being inexpensive would
 8

be a huge help for them. If the government subsidizes the project, it can be further

improved and distributed to farmers cheaply and easily.

1.6 Scope and Limitations

The project aims to design and simulate a solar heated air rice dehydrator that is

capable of maximizing space while being cost-efficient. The results of these study is

limited by the simulation program used.

1.7 Conceptual and Theoretical Framework

Theoretical Framework

Theories in heat transfer would be the fundamental guiding principles the researchers

will keep in mind while designing the dehydrator. Theories of convection and conduction

will be used by the researchers in order to maximize the efficiency of the dehydrator.

Theories in material science and machine design will be used in selecting the materials

for the dehydrator to make sure it is efficient and inexpensive.

Conceptual Framework

After the required dimensions and materials are identified after the designing process,

simulation of the Solar Heated Air Rice Dehydrator (S.H.A.R.D) shall be done using the

ANSYS Fluent program. Air temperature, and velocity will be recorded from the

simulation.
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Chapter 2
Review of Related Literature

2.1 Rice Farming in the Philippines.

According to Agriculture Secretary William Dar “We are glad to report that rice

farmers in the country harvested 4.626 million metric tons (MMT) in the first quarter of

2021, an increase of 8.6% over the first quarter of 2020 and an easing of the record

harvest in the first quarter of 2018. As a result, we commend millions of rice farmers

around the country, as well as thousands of local government technicians and leaders,

as well as industry players. Including our 'OneDA' team's efforts in executing the

different initiatives that resulted in yield gains,”.

In addition, Director John de Leon of the Department of Agriculture's Philippine

Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) stated the increase in production was attributable to

increases in both harvested areas and yield. Over the same three-month period last

year, harvested area expanded by 4.53 percent (percent), while yield improved by 3.87

percent. Rice harvesting area increased from 1.10 million ha to 1.15 million ha., with

output increasing from 3.88 mt/ha to 4.03 mt/ha. Overall, area harvested provided 54

percent of the first quarter's incremental production, while yield contributed 46 percent."

According to Ricepedia.org (2012) To become rice self-sufficient, the Philippines

must implement existing technologies, such as improved varieties and know-how, to

enhance yields by 1–3 t/ha. The greatest strategy to improve rice yields and quality of

production is to combine better seed with good management, which includes new

postharvest technologies. Improved fertilizer uses and crop management, better

 10

irrigation facilities, and high-yielding varieties can raise the country's rice output, which

is now much below the yield potential of most modern kinds. Improved yield growth is

the primary source of additional rice output. However, due of the rapid increase in

population, the government must execute a strategy to minimize population growth, as

the actual volume of rice produced by the country is insufficient to meet rice demand. In

the coming years, if population expansion outpaces production growth, the government

will continue to import rice from other countries to supply domestic demand for rice.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the average farmgate price of

palay is PhP 17.72 per kilogram as of February 2022. The farmgate price of palay is

dependent on the quality of the palay. The most impactful factor in the quality of palay is

its moisture content. That is why rice drying plays a vital role in the rice harvesting

process.

2.2 Rice Drying

Drying the rice grains is important in preserving its quality. It is recommended by

the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) that rice grains be dried within 24 hours

of harvesting as delays might cause quality reduction and losses. After rice has been

harvested it can contain up to 25% moisture. This level of moisture content can cause

discoloration, pests attacks, and development of molds in the rice grain. It is

recommended to dry the rice to 13% or below levels of moisture. There are many

methods of rice drying, but they are mainly separated into two categories which can be

either traditional or mechanical drying systems. Traditional drying systems include sun

drying methods or field drying and stacking. Traditional sun drying methods can either

be mat or pavement drying. Mechanical drying systems however uses heated air via
 11

heaters for rapid drying. Mechanical drying systems can either be batch dryers, re-

circulating batch dryer, or continuous flow dryer. There have been newer ways to dry

rice which combines sun drying with mechanical drying. Solar bubble dryers and solar

dehydrators are an example of this new hybrid methods.

2.3 Heat Transfer

In general, food dehydration is simply known for the removal of moisture from a

food product, the food product studied in this study are rice grains. According to

Hayhurst (1997), the significance of heat transfer in food processing is evident, the

effects of heating on food safety and consumer acceptability are so pronounced that

many food processes are designed around it. Heat transfer is the study of thermal

energy movement within a medium or between neighboring mediums caused by

molecular interaction (conduction), fluid motion (convection), and electromagnetic

waves (radiation). In addition, Heldman (1981) stated that thermal dehydration is used

to remove moisture from most dried foods. This is a method that uses heat to remove

moisture from the product. In order to fully understand how the system works a

thorough understanding of the process of the product during dehydration is necessary.

To begin with, heat transfer is the process of transporting heat from the heating medium

to the evaporation point. After the moisture has evaporated, the vapors must be

transferred through the product structure to the surrounding air. As a result, it's evident

that these processes entail a range of methods for heat transfer to and within the

product, as well as moisture movement away from it.

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2.4 Convective Heat Transfer

Convective heat transfer or simply known as convection is the study of heat

transport processes effected by the flow of fluids. In this heat transfer mode, energy

flows as a result of bulk movement of the fluid due to a temperature gradient. When a

stirrer or fan is employed to agitate the fluid, forced convection occurs. This decreases

the thickness of the boundary film, resulting in increased heat transfer rates and faster

temperature redistribution. As a result, forced convection is more widely utilized in food

dehydration than natural convection. To use hot air flowing over the food is the most

common way of transferring heat to a drying material, being this process mainly by

convection (Guin 2018).

2.5 Using Solar Energy in Dehydrators for Agricultural Food Processing.

Dehydrators are instruments that have been helpful in processing agricultural

goods. These can be seen in the Philippines in the form of driers, flat cement plots of

land which lay directly towards the sun. Other small-time farmers however cannot afford

this type of driers nor have the land needed to make one therefore they resort to drying

their palays in public roads which can be dangerous for both farmers and motorists.

According to CRC Critical Review on Food and Nutrition:

“These two divisions are direct and indirect drying, with some work also being

done on combination drying procedures. In direct solar driers, the product to be dried is

usually either inside a tent, greenhouse, or a glass‐topped box, where the product to be

dried is heated by the direct rays from the sun and the moist air is removed by ambient

wind movement. These dryers do accelerate moisture loss rate and the product is

usually safe from inclement weather. These dryers usually do not require fans for forced
 13

air circulation. With indirect drying, the opposite is true, where most require powered

fans for forced air circulation. With this type of dryer, both flat‐plate and inflated tube

solar heat absorbers are used, with each offering certain advantages. Also, combination

dryers have been built that utilize both direct and indirect principles.” (Bolin et. al. 2009)

Looking for a way to efficiently transfer energy from solar to heating the air that is

going to be fed to the dehydrator is the main objective that has to be kept in mind when

designing dehydrators that use solar energy. The best way to do this is to combine both

direct and indirect methods in designing the dehydrator. Designing a solar absorber that

can help absorb and circulate heat efficiently is one of the solutions that can be used in

making a solar dehydrator. “Solar absorbers are not the same as solar cells and do not

convert energy from the sun into electricity. They do convert energy from the sun into

heat.” (Bishop 2011). Solar absorbers can be as simple as a copper heat pipe to a

much more complex design. According to the book Spacecraft Thermal Control:

“The heat pipe is a thermal device which allows an efficient transport of thermal

energy. It is composed of a closed structure whose internal surface is lined with a thin

layer of porous material, usually referred to as a wick. The container may have a

cylindrical shape, or any other shape that can be conveniently manufactured. The pores

of the wick are filled with a working liquid appropriate to the application, and the vapor of

the liquid occupies the remaining internal volume. Therefore, since the liquid and its

vapor coexist in equilibrium, the pressure inside the container is equal to the vapor

pressure corresponding to the saturation conditions.” (Meseguer et. al.)

For small scale applications like a solar dehydrator for agricultural food

processing, copper heat pipes can be sufficient provided that it is properly

 14

manufactured. The most basic type of copper heat pipe is one without a wick structure

inside and is filled with water. This type of heat pipe however can only be placed

vertically or in an angle since it does not have a wick and needs gravity to transport the

condensate back to the bottom of the heat pipe. One end of the heat pipe is exposed

directly to solar energy and the other end is cooled with a fan to transfer heat from the

heat pipe into the air that is to be used to dry the rice grains.

2.6 Solar Dryer Design

According to a study done by B.K Bala and J.L Woods, the most important part of

a solar dryer design is the solar collector. The solar collector is responsible for

absorbing the radiant energy and heating the air to be fed to the drier. In designing the

drier, it is recommended that the grain bed should not be deep as it will contribute more

to the pressure drop of the air flow. Also, the top layer might not be properly dried if the

grain layers are too thick. Creating a chimney can also be disregarded as it does not

give significant improvements in the performance. This should also lower the cost of

fabricating the dryer. According to them an optimum solar drier design are a thin grain

bed, a relatively long collector, and a negligible chimney length. The glass to be used

for the solar collector must be one with high solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) as a

higher SHGC would mean more radiant energy can penetrate the glass. The solar

collector must also be properly sealed to avoid leaking of air which can cause loss of air

pressure at the outlet. To reduce the cost, it is recommended that the drier housing to

be made of wood treated to be resistant to weather like rain.

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Chapter 3
Methodology

3.1 Methodology

In this project the researchers aim to produce a rice grain dehydrator with a

hopper and storage bin to maximize the amount of rice grains dried versus the

consumed space of the dehydrator. The dehydrator shall harness heat from solar

energy to heat the air and move the air through the dehydrator using the natural flow of

heat due to convection. The researchers will gather data on the air temperature at the

outlet and the air velocity. These data would then be used to calculate the theoretical

amount of rice grain that can be dehydrated. The researchers will also compare the cost

of the drier to traditional pavement drying.

3.2 Research Design Flow Process

Setting up the
Designing the Gathering Interpreting data
solar dehydrator simulation
simulation data for analysis
parameters in ANSYS

Figure 1. Research Design Flow Process

The research aims to design and simulate a solar heated air rice dehydrator

based on the principle of heating air and moving it through the dehydrator via the

natural flow of heat due to convection. This research focuses on maximizing drying

capacity by incorporating a hopper and conveyor design. The research design flow

process is made to determine the performance of the solar dehydrator and compare it to

the cost of a pavement drier capable of drying the same theoretical amount of rice

grains.
 16

Subject of the study

The subject of the study will be the design and simulation of a solar heated air

rice dehydrator for the experimentation on the effectiveness of using solar heated air in

drying rice grains.

3.3 Gantt Chart

 17

3.4 Design of the rice dehydrator

The main objective of this study is to design and simulate a rice grain dehydrator

that can be used by farmers and maintain it in an affordable price range. To achieve the

objective the researchers, aim to attain an efficient design of a rice grain dehydrator by

adding a hopper and storage bin to maximize the amount of rice grains dried versus the

consumed space of the dehydrator. The solar collector attached to the dehydrator shall

heat air using solar energy. The heated air shall move through the dehydrator using the

natural flow of heat due to convection. The researchers will gather data on the average

air temperature and velocity at the outlet of the solar collector. The obtained data will

then be used to calculate the theoretical maximum amount of rice grain that can be

dried by the heated air.

The most important part of the design is the solar collector as this would be the main

component in the drying process. The design for the solar collector was referenced from a

previous study done by B.K Bala and J.L Woods where they studied the output of different solar

collectors with varying size. The outlet of the solar collector has a smaller area than the inlet.

This is done to further increase the temperature as well as the velocity of the air by compressing

them. The 3D model of the solar rice dryer was made using Autodesk Inventor.

3.5 Simulation

The 3D modelling is done using the Autodesk Inventor software. The simulation

was done using the ANSYS Fluent software. The fluent software is typically used for

simulating fluid or HVAC systems. The simulation would be run for 250 iterations. The

following parameters were used in the simulation.

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Fair Weather Conditions:

Sun Direction Vector X: 0.219901, Y: -0.0557944,

Z: -0.973925
Sunshine Fraction 1
Direct Normal Solar Irradiation (at Earth’s surface) 877.251
[W/m^2
Diffuse Solar Irradiation – vertical surface: [W/m^2] 79.3686

Diffuse Solar Irradiation – horizontal surface [W/m^2] 119.306

Ground Reflected Solar Irradiation – vertical surface 97.3683
[W/m^2]

Air Properties:
Density [kg/m3] 1.225

Specific Heat [J/ (kg K)] 1006.43

Thermal Conductivity [ W/ (m K)] 0.0242

Aluminum Properties:
Density [kg/m3] 2719

Specific Heat [J/ (kg K)] 871

Thermal Conductivity [ W/ (m K)] 202.4

Glass Properties:
Density [kg/m3] 2200

Specific Heat [J/ (kg K)] 840

Thermal Conductivity [ W/ (m K)] 1

 19

Wood Properties:
Density [kg/m3] 700

Specific Heat [J/ (kg K)] 2310

Thermal Conductivity [ W/ (m K)] 0.173

 20

Chapter 4
Results and Discussion

This chapter will show the design and the gathered data from the simulation.

Specific objectives will be answered in this chapter. The results will be discussed to

clarify data and its implications.

4.1 Specific Objective 1: To design and simulate a rice grain dehydrator

Figure 2. Solar Rice Dehydrator Design Assembly

The researchers found that the amount of solar irradiance that can pass through

the glass interface is dependent on the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) of the

glass. The higher the SHGC, the higher the amount of solar irradiance that can pass

through the glass interface. The glass used for the solar collector is a single pane

common glass with an SHGC of 80%. This means that the glass can allow 80% of the

solar irradiance through.  The main body of the solar collector is made up of aluminum
 21

which is a good conductor of heat given off by the solar irradiance. The solar collector

would have a length of 1.5 meters, a width of 1 meter, and an air gap of 0.01 meter.

Figure 3. Solar Collector

For the body of the dehydrator a weatherproof coated plywood of ½ thickness is

used.
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Figure 4. Dehydrator, Hopper, and Storage bin

Wire mesh is used for the conveyor which is selected for its perforations that will

allow the hot air to pass through below the rice strata. The conveyor would be divided

into parts with sides measuring 0.8 meter.

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Figure 5. Conveyor

The depth of the rice layer would be 0.03 meter. Inside the dryer, temperature

sensor and electronics for the automatic rice grain feeder and conveyor would be setup.
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Figure 2. Temperature Gradient at Solar Collector Outlet

In figure 2, the average solar collector outlet temperature from the simulation is at 56.63

C. The high temperature gradient on the right can be attributed to air turbulence due to the

reducer of the solar collector. Maximum and minimum temperature is not recorded and is

considered as unnecessary since in the Ansys simulation it simulates for every point of the

given area. We only need the average information.

Figure 3. Solar Collector Outlet Velocity

Figure 3 shows the average velocity at the solar collector outlet which is 0.133

m/s. uneven velocity gradients can then be again due to air turbulence caused by the

reducer.
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Figure 4. Air velocity inside the dehumidifier

Figure 4 shows the movement of air inside the dehumidifier. It can be seen that

almost laminar flow of air can be seen at the solar collector. Inside the dryer however

eddy currents are formed this can be caused by the sudden expansion of air into a

larger enclosure. Huge amount of airflow and turbulence can be seen at the dryer vent

outlet. This can be due to the fact that it is the only vent of the dryer and the tendency of

hot air to rise puts pressure at the outlet.

In order to calculate the amount of heat present in the air, the formula for heat

transfer is used.

Q=mC p ( ΔT )

The value of m can be solved by m=vAρ

 26

m kg kg
m=0.133 x 0.05 m2 x 1.225 3 =0.008
s m s

kg J
Qsupplied =0.008 x 1005 ( 56.63C−27 C )
s kg−C

¿ 238.22W =0.23822 KW

The heat needed to evaporate a kilogram of water is 2561.978 kJ/kg and the mass of the

water evaporated per hour is obtained using this formula.

Q supp. 0.23822 KW∗3600 0.335 kg

mevap = = =
Q evap. kJ hr
2561.978
kg

The common moisture content of rice is 18% and for it to be safely stored the

moisture content must be decreased to at least 13% or lower. The weight of the rice

grains that can be theoretically dried can be solved using the derived formula below:

100−MC i
W f =W i x
100− MC f

100−MC i
W i −m evap . =W i x
100−MC f

(
mevap. =W i 1−1 x
100−MC i
100−MC f )
mevap .
W i=

( 1−
100−MC i
100−MC f )
kg
0.335
hr kg
W i= =5.67
(
1−
100−18
100−13
hr
)
 27

Assuming a drying time per day of 7 hours, the theoretical amount of rice grain dried per

day would be 39.69 kg of rice grain.

4.2 Specific Objective 2: To perform a financial analysis of the dehydrator.

Bill of Materials

Table 1.1 shows the cost estimate of building a solar heated air rice dehumidifier. The

total cost is approximately 6,377.44 PHP. It presents the list of materials needed to construct

the solar heated air rice dehumidifier and its total cost.
 28

Table 1.2 indicates the cost estimate of concrete to be used in the traditional way

of drying rice grains. The table states that the space required for drying 40 kg of rice

grains is 3.5 sqm. The cost of concrete per sqm is approximately 180 Php summing up

to a total of 630 Php. 

To calculate the amount of rice drained per peso spent, the researchers used the

following formula

C=Cost /kg dried

For the Solar Dehydrator

C=6,657.44 / 40

C=6,657.44 / 40

C=166.43 PHP/kg of rice dried

For the Concrete Drier

C=630/ 40

C=15.75 PHP/kg of rice dried

For a farmer with a monthly harvest of 500kg with a selling price of 17 pesos, the

return of investment of the solar heated air rice dehydrator in a month can be computed

using the ROI formula.

 29

(kg of rice dried∗selling price)−Cost of Solar Dehydrator

ROI= x 100 %
Cost of Solar Dehydrator

(500∗17)−6,657.44
ROI= ∗100 %
6,657.44

ROI=27.68 %

With the data given above, it can be seen that constructing a solar heated air rice

dehydrator can be more expensive than using the traditional method of drying rice

grains. However, the 27.68% ROI of the solar dehydrator means that the investment is

profitable and that the initial investment cost can be easily recouped. Furthermore, the

solar heated air rice dehydrator offers various advantages that the traditional method of

drying could not provide. The solar heated air rice dehydrator enables the farmers to

secure their rice grains from contaminants like dust, insects and rocks. This can also

ensure the farmers that their grains will be protected from animals that eat grains like

chickens and birds. The farmers can also easily sit back and relax because the solar

heated air rice dehydrator is automated and it is safe from sudden rain as it is enclosed.
 30

Chapter 5
Conclusion and Recommendation

5.1 Conclusion

This study was formulated in the hopes of providing another affordable way of

drying rice grains using solar energy as an alternative to the prevalent pavement drying

done by farmers without their own dryers. As the researchers have simulated, the

designed solar heated air rice dehumidifier with passive air flow is viable for small scale

drying. Theoretically, the designed dehydrator can dry 5.67 kg/hr. of rice grain. The

solar heated air rice dehydrator is substantially more expensive than the traditional way

of concrete pavement drying. However, the ROI of the solar dehydrator shows that it is

profitable, standing at an ROI of 27.68%. The designed solar dehydrator however

offers more features to farmers like protecting the rice grain from pests, debris, sudden

rain, and scavenging animals, which can cause reduction in the rice grain quality and in

result lower the selling price for the rice grain. The designed solar dehydrator also

reduces the farmers workload by automatically storing the dried rice grain for easy

collection.

5.2 Recommendations

5.2.1To the Department of Agriculture

This study can resolve the issue of drying rice in the public roads and highways

and can help small farmers significantly in increasing the quality of their rice; therefore,

increasing their possible monthly profit. The researchers recommend that this study be

pursued further by the Department of Agriculture for further improvements and for

possible future subsidies of solar dehydrators for small farmers.

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5.2.2 To the Future Researchers

The current researchers recommend to future researchers to scale up the current

design of the solar heated air rice dehydrator to have higher efficiency. The current

researchers also encourage to fabricate the design of the solar heated air rice

dehydrator and perform experiments to acquire actual data and analyze the results for

further understanding and improvement. It is also recommended that future researchers

design a stirring mechanism to stir the rice grains in the drying tray. It is also

recommended to find more efficient and cost-effective materials to be used for the

fabrication.
 32

References:

[1] DA Communications Group. (2021, May 17). Farmers reap record palay yield in

2021 Q1. Department of Agriculture. Retrieved October 19, 2021, from

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[2] Ricepedia. (2012, September) Ricepedia.Org. Retrieved October 19, 2021, from

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[3] Heldman D.R., Singh R.P. (1981). Food Dehydration. Food Process Engineering.

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[4] Hayhurst A.N. (1997). Introduction to Heat Transfer. Chemical Engineering for the

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[5] Guin R. (2018). The Drying of Foods and Its Effect on the Physical-Chemical,

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 33

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