THERMAL PERFORMANCE OF A PHOTOVOLTAIC-THERMAL SOLAR DRYER INTEGRATED WITH HIGH-POROSITY STEEL MESH

Eakpoom  Boonthum; Prapanphong Somsila; Athiwut  Sanpoka; Apinunt Namkhet; Umphisak Teeboonma

Authors

Eakpoom Boonthum Candidate PhD, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ubon Ratchathani University, 85 Sathonlamark Road, Warin Chamrap District, Ubon Ratchathani 34190, Thailand
Prapanphong Somsila Lecturer, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture and technology, Rajamangala University of Technology Isan Surin Campus, 145 Moo 15, Surin-Prasat Road, Mueang Surin District, Surin 32000, Thailand
Athiwut Sanpoka Lecturer, Department of Mechanical Technical Education, Faculty of Technical Education, Rajamangala University of Technology Isan Khonkhaen Campus, 150 Srichan Road, Mueang District, Khon Kaen 40000, Thailand
Apinunt Namkhet Lecturer, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ubon Ratchathani University, 85 Sathonlamark Road, Warin Chamrap District, Ubon Ratchathani 34190, Thailand
Umphisak Teeboonma Lecturer, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ubon Ratchathani University, 85 Sathonlamark Road, Warin Chamrap District, Ubon Ratchathani 34190, Thailand

Keywords:

Solar dryer, Porous materials, PVT, Thermal performance

Abstract

The growing global demand for sustainable, cost-effective drying technologies has driven significant advancements in solar drying systems. This study experimentally evaluated the performance of a solar dryer integrated with porous materials for drying kaffir lime leaves under tropical climatic conditions in Thailand to enhance thermal efficiency and drying effectiveness. The dryer incorporated a 150 Watt photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) panel, a double-pass solar collector, and porous materials with a porosity of 0.97 onto the absorber plate. Experiments were conducted at air velocities of 0.07, 0.09, and 0.10 m/s to investigate drying kinetics, including moisture ratio (MR), drying rate (DR), and specific energy consumption (SEC). The results revealed that moisture removal occurred primarily during the falling-rate period, governed by internal diffusion. The integration of porous materials enhanced drying performance, with DR improving by approximately 45-50% and SEC decreasing by 30-33% compared to the case without porous materials. Statistical analyses using two-way ANOVA confirmed significant effects of air velocity (p < 0.05) and porous materials (p < 0.01), with porous materials identified as the dominant factor. Overall, the solar dryer incorporated with porous materials demonstrated faster drying, greater thermal stability, and improved energy efficiency.

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