Issue Description


Authors : Shrikant D. Londhe

Page Nos : 439-443

Description :
Various researchers have established the fact that solar drying has an edge over conventional open air sun drying. Especially, for developing country like India, where a very good solar radiation is available, solar drying is the economical and viable alternative. The dryers may be classified as direct, indirect or mixed mode based on exposure of the product to solar radiation. Further, depending on the mode of air flow, dryers are termed as natural convection or forced convection dryers. The work reported here is carried out on a solar cabinet dryer, which is of direct type that uses natural circulation of air through it. The main aim of the study is to investigate the effect of provision of reflector and the chimney structure attached to the plain dryer. The prototype dryer is fabricated at the institute and is tested for high moisture content commodity. The performance of the dryer with reflector compared with the one without reflector is brought out. Also, the exclusive effect of provision of the chimney structure attached to the plain dryer, whether or not the reflector is provided, is investigated. It is pointed out that provision of the chimney and reflector is quite desirable and a good improvement in the drying rate is obtained. Keywords: Solar dryer; Natural circulation; Drying rate; Reflector; Chimney.

Date of Online: 30 May 2015