Observed performances of the hybrid solar-biomass dryer for fish drying

Abstract

This experiment aimed to configure the performances of hybrid dryer operated with solar and biomass energies for fish drying. The dryer consisted of a structure made of light steel frame and covered with UV plastic 12% equipped with drying chamber, a chimney, a heat collector, a furnace, and a heat exchanger. The biomass was coconut shell and the sample of fish was Pepetak Leiognatus spp. Operating with solar energy and without fish inside the dryer increased the temperature and relative humidity of the drying chamber respectively 13.4°C higher and 37.6% lower than those of the ambient air. When the dryer without fish was biomass operated using 3 kg fuel of the first supply and 1.5 kg fuel of subsequent supplies per 20 minutes, it was able to generate the drying chamber temperature and relative humidity about 60°C and nearly 0% in averages. Utilizing 20% fish moisture content as the threshold for dry fish, operating with solar energy, the dryer completed drying process in 20.47 h which was faster that of the sun drying (24.20 hours). The dryer needed to finish drying processes in 14.37 h and 15.43 h when operated by respectively biomass energy and solar energy continued with biomass energy. The rate of fuel supply for fish drying was 0.633 kg coconut shell per kg wet fish.