THERMAL PERFORMANCE OF SOLAR TUNNEL DRYER BY USING VARIOUS ABSORBING MATERIALS
Keywords:
Open Sun Drying, Solar Tunnel Dryer, Absorbing materials, flow rate velocity, collecting area, polythene sheet thickness etc.Abstract
Sun drying of agricultural products is the traditional method employed in most of the developing countries. Sun
drying is used to denote the exposure of a commodity to direct solar radiation and the convective power of the natural wind.
Drying is cheapest and most common method of preservation and storing of agricultural products. It was observed that dryer
efficiency continuously changing during drying process due to change in solar radiation and temperature. Performance of
solar tunnel dryer is depends upon on different performing parameters. The flow rate, temperature and relative humidity of
drying air plays major role in drying. Also moisture content in product, area of collector plate, thickness of polythene sheet,
absorbing material and thickness of drying layer are important parameter.
The main aim of this project is do the performance evaluation of solar tunnel dryer by varying input performing
parameters such as absorber material for collector area, flow rate of drying air and thickness of polythene sheet and to
determine the output performance parameters such as efficiency of solar tunnel dryer, Time required for drying agricultural
product.
