Design, development, and performance testing of thermal energy storage based solar dryer system for seeded grapes

Abstract

The deterioration of food crops after harvest can be prevented using the appropriate drying method. Solar energy can be used in several beneficial ways, and a solar-aided dryer is one of the prominent applications. A forced convection medium-sized solar dryer with Phase Change Material (PCM) was designed and fabricated for conducting drying experiments. Organic paraffin wax, a PCM, was used for thermal energy storage in the solar dryer. The PCM will enhance drying efficiency even during off sunshine hours and reduce the overall drying period. The study compares the drying performance characteristics of seeded grapes between open sun drying, solar drying without and with PCM(100 and 200 g). The results of the drying experiments showed that grapes were effectively dried out using the PCM-based solar dryer. The grapes dried in a shorter duration using a solar dryer with 200 g of PCM compared with other drying methods. The grapes were dried out from an initial moisture content of 80.2% to a final moisture content of about 18.6%. The prototype model of the solar dryer with PCM was recommended to limit the use of the workforce, avoid improper drying, and reduce the overall drying period. An increase in the quantity of PCM in the solar dryer reduced the overall drying time of the grapes. The outcomes revealed that PCM usage helped retain the chamber’s heat for a longer time than the test without PCM.