Thermal performance assessment of an indirect solar dryer: A case study of Bananas

This study presents a design for an absorber used in a solar air collector for an indirect solar dryer. The absorber comprises two aluminium plates corrugated and joined together to form parallel cylinders, enabling airflow within the collector. This research aims to experimentally examine the drying process of two types of bananas, one from Morocco and the other from abroad, using the designed solar air collector. Additionally, the study aims to investigate the peculiarities of the drying process and the performance of the solar dryer employed. The experiments were conducted by subjecting the bananas to the designed solar air collector, and the evolution of drying was monitored. The initial mass of the bananas used was 631.6 g for the Moroccan banana and 713.6 g for the Export banana. After the drying process, the mass of the Moroccan banana reduced to 77.5 g, while the Export banana reduced to 137.3 g, indicating significant moisture removal. The percentage of the amount of water extracted (Q) from the bananas was found to be 87.7% for the Moroccan banana and 80.8% for the Export banana. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of the corrugated aluminium plate absorber in facilitating the drying process in the solar air collector. The significant reduction in the mass of the bananas and the high percentage of water extraction highlight the efficiency of the solar dryer in removing moisture from the agricultural produce. The findings of this study contribute to the understanding of the drying process of bananas and offer valuable insights for the design and optimization of solar drying systems for agricultural applications.