Performance Investigation of a Chimney-Dependent Solar Crop Dryer for Different Inlet Areas with a Fixed Outlet Area

Abstract EN

The paper describes the performance of a direct-mode solar crop dryer with a solar chimney.

Tests were performed for three differently inclined drying-chamber roofs, each with three inlet areas for a given exit area.

Cassava was used as the test crop.

The results show that the increase in the inlet area for a given exit area can improve the ventilation in the dryer.

However, this does not necessarily improve the drying performance of the direct-mode dryer.

A wide inlet area for a given exit area can only improve the drying performance of the direct-mode dryer in a geographical location of low relative humidity.

It is therefore not advisable to just copy the design of a direct-mode dryer from one location to another without regard to the ambient relative humidity.

The designer and builder of the dryer must consider the relative humidity as a prime factor in the design and construction of direct-mode dryers, which are highly sensitive to the ambient relative humidity.