Energy and exergy assessment of a novel parabolic hybrid active greenhouse solar dryer. (October 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Koli, Chandra Shekhar; Gaur, M.K.; Singh, Pushpendra
• Is Part Of: Solar energy. Volume 245(2022)
• Page Start: 211
• Page End: 223
• Publication Date: 2022-10
• Subjects: Hybrid greenhouse dryer -- Solar air heater -- Energy and Exergy analysis -- Green chilli drying -- Okra drying; Solar energy -- Periodicals; Solar engines -- Periodicals; 621.47
• DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2022.09.021
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0038-092X

Abstract

Highlights: The PHAGSD is uniquely embraced with the solar air heater to increase the greenhouse room temperature. The performance of dryer with and without SAH is analyzed by drying green chilli and okra. The drying time for green chilli and okra is 9 and 5 h less in WSAH than WOSAH while OSD takes 17 h and 11 h more than WSAH. Thermal efficiency in case of WSAH is 6% more than WOSAH and exergy efficiency in the case of WOSAH is 13% lower than WSAH. Abstract: In the present work, a parabolic hybrid active greenhouse solar dryer (PHAGSD) embraced with a solar air heater (SAH) has been designed and fabricated at MITS Campus, Gwalior. The dryer is operated in active mode in the winter season and experimentation is performed in the dryer with & without SAH and open sun drying (OSD). The energy and exergy analysis are carried out by drying two seasonable crops, green chilli and okra. In all cases, green chilli and Okra are dried from initial moisture content of 89.33 % (wb) and 91 % (wb) to 10 % (wb) and 7.53 % (wb) respectively. In the case of with SAH, the drying time of green chilli and Okra is 32 h and 26 h, while in the case of without SAH, it is 40 h and 31 h, and when dried in OSD, it is 48 h and 37 h, correspondingly, which is 15 h and 9 h more than the with SAH. The thermal efficiency of the SAH ranges from 57 to 97 %, and the dryer thermal efficiency in the case of with SAH is found 6 % higher than the dryer without SAH. The exergy efficiency of SAH is estimated 9 %. The exergy efficiency in the case of with SAH is found 19 %, while in the case of without SAH, it is 6 %. The dryer's exergy efficiency in the case of with SAH is found 13 % higher than the without SAH.