Abstract
This manuscript presents the design and construction of the energy efficient, time saving, cost effective of passive solar powered clothes dryer. This manuscript begins with a derivation of mathematical model represents of solar dryer followed with an analysis of the elements necessary for successfully designing the various components of a solar dryer. The solar drying performance achieved an average drying rate of 0.35 kg/h and drying time of 3 h in a typical day, even under local low ambient humidity of around 35% and at moderate outdoor wind speed. Also, the computational fluid dynamic CFD of transient thermal behavior based on Navier-Stokes equations was used to demonstrate the prevailing temperature rises in the solar natural-ventilation system associated with the internal heat flux due to solar radiation and moisture removal. The efficiency of solar dryer was improved using Nano coating technology. The result showed good agreement between the computational solid simulation and the experimental measurements obtained from this system.
Highlights
Solar drying is a process of using solar energy to dry substances as agricultural products, clothing by heat air and/or the products so as to achieve drying (Ekechukwu, 1999)
We elucidated in great detail our optimal design strategy using the different components of our passive solar power clothing dryer
We used our CFD to simulate the performance of clothing solar dryer, the temperature profile inside the dryer
Summary
Solar drying is a process of using solar energy to dry substances as agricultural products, clothing by heat air and/or the products so as to achieve drying (Ekechukwu, 1999). The solar dryer technologies are basically characterized according to their heating modes, the way they capture, convert and distribute sunlight and how the solar heat is utilized as either passive solar (natural circulation) or active solar (forced convection). Active solar system depends on the using of photovoltaic panels, solar thermal collectors, with electrical or mechanical equipment, to convert sunlight into useful outputs. While the Passive solar system depends primarily on the way of orienting a building to the sun, selecting materials with efficient high storage of thermal energy or light scattering properties and designing spaces that naturally circulate air (Ekechukwu and Norton, 1999). The cloth drying techniques were utilizing either in the form of steam by burner or waste heat from heat pump/air conditioning units. Van Deventer (1997)
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