Title: Performance evaluation of exhaust air recirculation system of mixed mode solar dryer for drying of onion flakes

Authors: Surendra Kothari, N.L. Panwar, Saurabha Chaudhri

Addresses: Department of Renewable Energy Sources, College of Technology and Engineering, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur, 313 0001, Rajasthan, India. ' Department of Renewable Energy Sources, College of Technology and Engineering, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur, 313 0001, Rajasthan, India. ' Department of Renewable Energy Sources, College of Technology and Engineering, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur, 313 0001, Rajasthan, India

Abstract: This paper deals with the performance of mixed mode type solar dryer for drying onion flakes. During the experiments, no load and full load test were conducted to find out the effectiveness to the system with or without recirculation of exhaust air. The drying and thermal efficiencies and heat utilisation factors were recorded as 21%, 74% and 31% respectively, more compared to recirculation of exhaust air test. The quality of dried onion flakes without recirculation of exhaust air test was superior. The recirculation of exhaust air was founded feasible only with use of desiccant material.

Keywords: mixed mode solar dryers; drying; onion flakes; exhaust air recirculation; performance evaluation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJRET.2009.024729

International Journal of Renewable Energy Technology, 2009 Vol.1 No.1, pp.29 - 41

Received: 17 May 2008
Accepted: 08 Jan 2009
Published online: 28 Apr 2009 *

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