Evaluation of a solar cabinet dryer as an air-heating system

Abstract

A solar collector in the form of a prototype solar cabinet dryer was evaluated at no load as an air-heating system. The dryer was operated for 28 days from mid April to the end of May 1996. For the period of operation, the dryer attained an average temperature of 81.3°C with a standard deviation of 8.6°C within a 7-h period from 8:00 h to 15:00 h. From hourly temperature considerations, it has been determined that the rate of solar energy absorbed by the dryer ranged from 0.51 kW sq m −1 to 0.93 kW sq m −1. The peak was reached at 11:00 h and high solar-energy rate of capture of 0.90 kW sq m −1 and over was maintained for about 6 h.