Thermal performance study of a multi-pass solar air heating collector system for drying of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa)
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Date
2017-08-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Elsevier
Abstract
This article presents a study on the performance of a forced convective multi-pass solar air heating
collector (MPSAHC) system assisted with granite as a sensible energy storing matrix. Experimental
drying of Roselle was carried out in August 2015 at Solar Energy Research Site of Universiti Teknologi
PETRONAS, Malaysia (4.385693 N and 100.979203 S). The present investigation was conducted under the daily average relative humidity, solar irradiance, ambient temperature and wind speed of 64.5%, 635.49 Wm 2, 32.24 C, and 0.81 ms 1, respectively. An average drying rate of 33.57 g (kg m2 h) 1 was achieved while the system optical efficiency, collector efficiency, drying efficiency and moisture pickup efficiency of 70.53%, 64.08%, 36.22% and 66.95% were obtained, respectively. MPSAHC dryer was 21 h faster with fair color retention when compared to open sun drying approach (OSDA) that was conducted together under the same weather condition. Techno economic analysis reflected a payback period of 2.14 years. However, drying efficiency could be improved if the inlet air humidity can be controlled to favor drying operation.