The Effect of Solar Tracking System on Thermal Performance of Solar Dryer

Abstract

AbstractSolar energy is an important source of clean energy. As the sun changes position during the day from morning till night, and its orbit differs from one season to another. This affects the intensity of the incident solar radiation. A tracking system is used to maximize the absorbed solar energy, and the useful energy gain. This research attempted to develop an indirect force convection solar dryer fitted with a tracking system on the vertical direction. Four different indirect type force convection solar dryer design concepts were presented. One design concept was chosen after a scoring process which consists of a solar collector, a drying chamber, and tracking mechanism. The thermal performance of the final solar dryer design was studied. Several experiments were performed at Suhar city in Al Batina North governorate of Sultanate of Oman. The results show that the maximum air temperature inside the solar collector at 2 pm is 70.3 ℃. In addition, the temperature inside the solar collector is increased by 14% compared to a fixed system. Furthermore, the difference of moisture reduction ratio inside the solar dryer is 71%, compared to open sun which is 29%.KeywordsSolar energySolar dryingTracking system