Title: Energy and exergy analysis of a geothermal energy sourced hot-air drying system

Authors: Huseyin Utku Helvaci; Nazlı Keles; Gulden Gokcen Akkurt

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Dogus University, 34775, Istanbul, Turkey ' Energy Engineering MSc Program, Izmir Institute of Technology, 35430, Izmir, Turkey ' Department of Energy Systems Engineering, Izmir Institute of Technology, 35430, Izmir, Turkey

Abstract: A geothermal energy-sourced drying system was tested for the thin-layer drying process of tomato slices at air temperatures of 40°C, 50°C and 60°C and velocities of 0.5 m/s and 1.5 m/s to investigate system performance in terms of the first and second laws of thermodynamics. The energy and the exergy efficiency of the system were found to be 6.6% and 22.31%. The energy utilisation and energy utilisation ratio were calculated in the range of 1.271 kW-5.102 kW and 9.644%-39.56%, respectively. The exergy destruction, exergy efficiency and improvement potential of the drying chamber varied between 0.0198 kW-0.2621 kW, 59.74%-81.95% and 0.00486 kW-0.07396 kW, respectively.

Keywords: geothermal energy; tomato drying; sustainable drying; energy analysis; exergy analysis.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2023.130938

International Journal of Exergy, 2023 Vol.41 No.1, pp.1 - 19

Received: 30 Aug 2022
Received in revised form: 08 Nov 2022
Accepted: 08 Nov 2022
Published online: 14 May 2023 *

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