Abstract
In this study, energy performance of two types of food dryers which are electric heater and heat pump is studied experimentally. With drying chamber temperatures controlled at 45, 50 and , sliced radish is dried from an initial mass of 90 to final 7 kg. Moisture content, drying time, total power consumption, MER (moisture extraction rate, kg/h) and SMER (specific moisture extraction rate, kg/kWh) are measured and analyzed. As the drying chamber temperature is increased, drying time is shortened but energy efficiency is reduced for both types. For an electric heater dryer, the effect of chamber temperature on drying time is significant but less significant on energy efficiency. For a heat pump dryer, the dependence of chamber temperature on drying time is weak but strong on energy efficiency. Temperature levels have little effect on electric heater dryer performance but strong effect on heat pump dryer which operates on a vapor compression refrigeration cycle. The energy performance of the heat pump dryer is superior with an average SMER of 2.175 kg/kWh which is 2.22 times greater than that of the electric heater dryer with SMER of 1.224 kg/kWh.
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