Comparative analysis of the performance of cabinet solar dryer and open sun drying for Banana slices

Abstract

Sun-drying is the traditional method of preservation fruits, crops and vegetables. It is also an alternative way to prevent the shortage of natural resources. But traditional sun drying causes damage to food quality and cannot prevent dust, any other insets and birds. For this reason, this paper represents the design calculation of cabinet solar dryer for 1kg of banana slices and the comparative investigation of cabinet solar dryer and open sun drying. The thickness of a banana slice is taken 4mm. After 14 hours of drying time in two days experiment, moisture content of banana slices inside of the cabinet dryer is 14% meanwhile open sun drying is still 40%. As a result, the desired moisture content of banana slice can be received quickly in cabinet solar dryer. And then, it can easily construct with locally cheap and environmentally acceptable, non-hazard materials. Cabinet solar dryer can also reduce the loss of food due to high temperature, insects, and birds. Hence, it is more effective than open sun drying.