Journal of Solar Energy Research

Enhancing the Productivity of Agricultural Supply Chains with Solar Tunnel Dryers

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Mohan Babu University (Erst while Sree Vidyanikethan Engineering College), Tirupati, India.

2 Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Mohan Babu University (Erst while Sree Vidyanikethan Engineering College), Tirupati, India.

10.22059/jser.2023.359435.1308

Abstract

Solar tunnel dryers are innovative technologies that utilize solar energy to efficiently and cost-effectively dry agricultural products. By harnessing renewable energy, these dryers provide a sustainable alternative to conventional drying methods. The aim of this article is to examine a solar tunnel dryer that is employed to dry a variety of agricultural goods in Chandragiri Mandal, Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh), India under local weather circumstances. The dryer has a polycarbonate sheet that is 1 mm thick and 30 feet long by 12 feet broad. This sheet is utilized as a collector for material and for direct absorption on the item to be dried. About 300 kg can be loaded into the dryer with vegetables or agricultural products. Vegetables have been dried in a solar tunnel dryer in 1 hours from initial moisture content of roughly 85% to 45% whereas open-air drying takes 18 hours. The temperature within the dryer is considerably higher between 30 and 40 degrees Celsius than the ambient temperature. It has been determined that the typical thermal efficiency is around 53.1%. Solar tunnel dryers, such as reduced drying time, improved product quality, and decreased post-harvest losses. 

Keywords

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Journal of Solar Energy Research
Volume 8, Issue 3
July 2023
Pages 1574-1586