International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET)
e-ISSN: 2395-0056
Volume: 11 Issue: 10 | Oct 2024
p-ISSN: 2395-0072
www.irjet.net
INVESTIGATION TOWARD DIRECT SOLAR DRYERS WITHOUT THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE AND WITH THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE VIVEK G1*, PRAKASH P2, SURENDAR G1 and SAKTHI S1 1Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Arifa Institute of Technology, Nagapattinam,
Tamilnadu, India.
2Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Krishnasamy College of Engineering and Technology,
Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, India. -----------------------------------------------------------------------***------------------------------------------------------------------------Abstract:
In this experiment, a direct solar dryer frame that is made up of a rectangular steel grid is used. The direct solar dryer is well-insulated with a suitable insulating material. The experiment is carried out by using thermal energy storage using sensible heat, which is implemented inside the copper tube presented in the experimental setup, which involves storing heat in a solid or liquid. The performance of the direct solar dryer with thermal energy storage will be evaluated in terms of the drying rate, energy efficiency, and quality of the dried produce. The results of this study will be useful in developing a low-cost and sustainable drying system for small-scale farmers to improve their income and reduce food waste
Keywords: solar drying system, thermal energy storage, ANN, Mass flow rate of air. INTRODUCTION The project aims to design and develop a direct solar dryer with thermal energy storage to address the challenges faced by small-scale farmers in drying their agricultural produce. The direct solar dryer utilizes solar energy to dry crops, and the thermal energy storage system ensures that the dryer operates even during cloudy or non-sunny days. The design of the direct solar dryer involves solar radiation directly radiating inside the cabinet and heating the product inside the cabinet tray. The thermal energy storage system, on the other hand, is composed of a sensible heat storage material that stores the excess heat during the day and releases it at night or during cloudy periods. In agricultural drying processes such as drying fruits and vegetables, elimination of product spoilage, heat preservation processes, etc. So, the direct solar drying system is well suited for these applications because it is simple, compact, weightless, quiet, does not use open drying or other conventional dryers, and also requires little maintenance. The main objective of this project work is 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
To make the experimental setup of the direct solar drying system with the necessary components and measuring instruments. To experiment with different temperatures for drying rate. To find the maximum temperature as well as moisture content, the efficiency of the system, and the performance of the direct solar drying system. To compare the efficiency by using without and with the thermal energy storage. To analyze the system efficiency with the help of an artificial neural network (ANN) in MATLAB software.
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