Solar Dryer

GUIDED BY:
Prof. Premkumar Joshi

GROUP MEMBERS:
Prasad Devkate-195038
Chinmay Gawand-195013
Siddhesh Shinde-195049
Jaideep Mahala-195015
 SOLAR DRYER
A device used to dry food products, provide protection from birds and
more improvised method than the traditional method..

Solar Good Heat Portable

energy for supply and easy
-Drying to move
-Electricity
 PROBLEM STATEMENT

Drying and preservation of agricultural products have been one of the oldest uses of solar energy.
The traditional method, still widely used throughout the world, is open sun drying where diverse
crops, such as fruits, vegetables, cereals, grains, tobacco, etc. are spread on the ground and
turned regularly until sufficiently dried so that they can be stored safely. However, there exist
many problems associated with open sun drying. It has been seen that open sun drying has the
following disadvantages. It requires both large amount of space and long drying time. The
disadvantages of open sun drying need an appropriate technology that can help in improving the
quality of the dried products and in reducing the wastage
FORCED
CIRCULATION OBJECTIVES OF THE
GOOD PROJECT
PERFORMANCE
The objective of this study is to develop a solar dryer in which the grains are dried
simultaneously by the heated air from the solar collector. The problems of low and medium scale
processor could be alleviated, if the solar dryer is designed and constructed with the
ECONOMIC consideration of overcoming the limitations of direct and indirect type of solar dryer. So
therefore, this work will be based on the importance of a solar dryer which is reliable and
economically, design and construct a solar dryer using locally available materials and to
evaluate the performance of this solar dryer
 LITERATURE SURVEY
Shiva Gorjian, ... Abdur Rehman Mazhar, in Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conversion,
2020
PV utilization with a solar dryer not only provides the electricity supply for the assisted
systems, but also delivers heat to the thermal collector and enhances the total
performance consequently. Figure represents a PV-powered solar dryer developed by
Tiwari et al. . As the figure shows, in this design, an air-based PVT module was
constructed out of two sections, PV and solar thermal modules. During operation, solar
radiation is captured by the entire module, generating electricity and thermal energy,
respectively, from the PV and thermal sections. As the air is fed into the module, fresh
air passing beneath the PV module makes it cooler while extracting the excess heat.
Further, the thermal collector transfers the absorbed heat to the preheated air and
provides adequate thermal power for the drying process where the hot air passes
through the product, absorbing its moisture content and leaving the system from the
exhaust gate. In the proposed model, scientists used the generated electricity to power
the DC fans for air circulation purposes. They concluded that the developed system
including one solar collector was able to yield 61.56% of thermal efficiency..
GAPS IN THE LITERATURE
The major issue is the availability of solar radiations to run the fans for forced air
flow in the cabinet..

 More costly than natural circulation dryer..

 Not portable and complex constuction

 WIll work on natural circulation after sunset


METHODOLOGY
The drying product is a complex heat and mass transfer process which depends on
external variables such as temperature, humidity and velocity of the air stream and
internal variables which depend on parameters like surface characteristics (rough or
smooth surface), chemical composition (sugars, starches, etc.), physical structure
(porosity, density, etc.), and size and shape of product
Natural circulation
Add title Add title
METHODS APPLICABLE
There are two main types of drying techniques for
a dryer:
• Natural Circulation:The working principle of natural
convection solar dryer is, once the air in the solar
dryer is heated by solar energy, the air relative
humidity will drop and floating up through the drying.
This air will take moisture out of the product and flow
out to the ambient air.
• Forced Circulation:Air enters the dryer through the
glass and pipes and gets heated when it traps inside
the glass cover. It further gets supplied to the drying
chamber as regulated by the blower(fans). Once the
food products in the drying chamber have dried
completely, humid air leaves the dryer through
ventilation ports.

Forced circulation
METHODOLOGY
Application of proper methods and working principles is necesary in order to
design a economic, environment friendly and in budget.

01 02 03 04 05

SELECTION OF
MATERIALS
METHOD The major equipment for forced air
After study and literature, we finally circulation is the FANS.
decided to go with the forced

UNDERSTANDING circulation as per the instructions of IMPLEMENTATION WORKING

our guide. We then accordingly selected the The fans would work on solar panels in
THE METHODS materials and equpments required as for day and will run on battery after sunset.
We studied the two methods and the forced circulation
understood their pros and cons.
ADVANTAGES:
The advantages of this method over the natural circulation is that:.

EFFICIENCY
The total drying time for a food product is less in this system.

RENEWABLE ENERGY
Use of solar energy to run the fans.

MORE RUN TIME

This system will work even after the sunset and supply the
trapped heat to the cabinet
 CHARGE CONTROLLER
Charge controller selected was of 10A.

DESIGN:
MATERIAL SELECION
PV AND BATTERY
The solar panels were of 50W and the battery
selected was26AH for a good run time of the
Material selection is done on the basis of
machine..
study. Required materials were listed and
then selected as per the budget and also
to make a less cost and efficient solar
dryer.

WOOD
The wood selected was water proof
in order to avoid damage during rainy
seasons and also use in any
seasons
FINAL COMPLETION OF THE DRYER
 Solar Dryer(Fans)

Circuit Design Solar

Charge Controller

Battery
In a solar system, connections of panels
and battery with proper knowledge is
necessary so as to avoid accidents and Solar Panel
damage to the solar charge controller.
MAJOR COMPONENTS OF SOLAR
DRYER
1. Collector (Air Heater):
The heat absorber (inner box) of the solar air heater was constructed using well seasoned
woods painted black. The solar collector assembly consists of air flow channel enclosed by transparent
cover (glazing). An absorber mesh screen midway between the glass cover and the absorber back plate
provides effective air heating because solar radiation that passes through the transparent cover is then
absorbed by both the mesh and back-plate.
2. The Drying Cabinet:
The drying cabinet together with the structural frame of the dryer was built from well
seasoned woods which could withstand termite and atmospheric attacks. An outlet vent was provided
toward the upper end at the back of the cabinet to facilitate and control the
convection flow of air through the dryer. Access door to the drying chamber was also
provided at the back of the cabinet. The roof and the two opposite side walls of the cabinet are covered with
transparent glass sheets of 4 mm thick, which provided additional heating.
3. Drying Trays:
The drying trays are contained inside the drying chamber and were constructed from a
double layer of fine mosquito wire mesh with a fairly open structure to allow drying air to
pass through the food items.
 ADVANTAGES OF SOLAR DRYER
• Both shade drying and open drying is possible.

• Reduces drying time.

• Open direct sunlight heating is possible by removing the top cover of the
dryer and providing transparent thin polyethylene film sheet. This will transmit 99% of direct solar radiation.

• Works throughout the year. It can work at night and during rainy season by burning biomass under the dryer.

• Easily assembling and disassembling and light weight for transportation purpose.

• Low maintenance
DISADVANTAGES OF SOLAR
DRYER
• Drying can be performed only during sunny days, unless the
system is integrated with a conventional energy-based system.

• Due to limitations is solar energy collection, the solar drying

process is slow in comparison with dryers that use conventional
fuels.

• Normally, solar dryers can be utilized only for drying at 40-

50oC
RESULTS AND DISSCUSION
WE DRIED 3 DIFFERENT FRUITS AND VEGETABLES IN THE DRYER FOR
CHECKING THE DRYING EFFICIENCY AND TIME REQUIRED FOR DRYING THEM.

WE DRIED GRAPES, RAW MANGO AND TOMATOES IN THE DRIER AND KEPT A
DAILY WATCH ON THEIR MOISTURE CONTENT AND THE DRYING SPEED.

THE DRYER WAS ALWAYS KEPT ON IT FUNCTIONED ON THE BATTERY AND

SOLAR PANELS ACCORDINGLY AND SOME OBSERVATION WAS DONE FOR A
WEEK.
DAY-1
DAY-2
DAY-3
AFTER A WEEK
THANKS