Thermal Performance of Greenhouse Solar Dryer with Single and Double Evacuated Tube Solar Collector under no-load

Abstract

Solar dryers are the sustainable solution for

meeting the food requirement of rising

population in future. The crops and other

edible products can be dried to safe moisture

level and then it can be stored for longer

duration. An evacuated tube solar collector is

attached to the hybrid greenhouse solar

dryer. The thermal performance analysis of

the developed hybrid dryer is carried out in

active mode under no-load condition. The

effect of single ETC and two ETC connected

in series on the performance of the developed

dryer are analyzed in the paper. The dryer

with double ETC gives maximum of 22.6%

higher room temperature than the dryer with

single ETC. The dryer gives better

performance with two ETC as higher room

temperature will provide the faster drying

rate but it also increase the capital cost of the

dryer.