Enviro-economical feasibility of groundnut drying under greenhouse and indoor forced convection hot air dryers

Abstract

In the present paper, groundnut samples were dried under natural convection greenhouse drying (NCGHD), forced convection greenhouse drying (FCGHD), and indoor forced convection hot air drying (IFCHAD) modes in the climatic conditions of Rohtak, India (28°54′ N 76°34′E). Samples of groundnut were dried up-to-the-safe storage moisture level of 8–10%. Drying cost per kg of dried groundnut under NCGHD, FCGHD, and IFCHAD modes were found to be ₹ (Indian National Rupee) 25.18 (0.34 US$), ₹ 42.18 (0.57 US$), and ₹ 135.85 (1.84 US$), respectively for the same wire mesh sieve size. Cost under greenhouse drying modes decreases with the increase in wire mesh sieve size. Cost under NCGHD and FCGHD modes was 81.46%–69% less than the average drying cost per kg of dried groundnut under IFCHAD mode for the same sieve size. Critical parameters such as embodied energy, energy payback time (EPBT), CO2 mitigation, and carbon credit earn (CCE), which help study the cost analysis of a greenhouse dryer have also been evaluated. Cost of manufacturing a greenhouse decreases with a decrease in embodied energy. Maximum utilization of a greenhouse dryer can reduce CO2 emission. Carbon credit trading is used to control pollution. It provides an economic incentive to achieve a reduction in pollutants emission. EPBT was found to be about 1.66, 1.72, and 4.67 years for natural convection greenhouse dryer, forced convection greenhouse dryer, and hot air dryer, respectively.