High Density Fibreboard as an Alternative for Polypropylene Materials in the Construction of Solar Dryer

Abstract

Foods are preserved by drying them out to eliminate moisture using a procedure that, depending on the food type, removes water content. In addition to extending the shelf life, this preserves the essential nutrients. Produce dried in the open sun has been shown to be unsanitary because of contaminations. This made it necessary to build a solar dryer that would be within every farmer's budget. The construction materials were purchased locally, and the sliced plantain samples were dried over three days in the sun and in a solar dryer. With open sun drying, the sliced plantain sample, which had an initial mass of 300.00g, lost 76.25% of its moisture content, and with sunshine drying, it lost 96.64%. The sliced plantain sample, which had an initial mass of 300.00g, was also dried simultaneously in a solar dryer manufactured of polypropylene, and it had a moisture content of 97.2%. The procedure and outcome showed that, while the solar-dryer approach is more controlled, clean, and effective with a greater drying rate, the old open-sun way of drying agricultural goods is neither efficient nor clean. Furthermore, it was established that when it comes to drying agricultural products with comparable moisture content, solar dryers made of polypropylene and high-density fibre board work better. The cheaper high-density fibre board solar dryer cost two hundred and sixty-eight thousand naira while the imported solar dryer made of polypropylene cost two thousand five hundred dollars equivalent of one million naira as of 2021. The above-mentioned parameters were determined by the constructed and tested solar dryer, and it was advised that farmers and individual households utilise the high density fibre board produced solar dryer for drying agricultural produce.