Development and Performance Evaluation of a Mobile Solar Dryer for Cassava Chips

Abstract

In this study, a mobile, indirect passive solar drying system was designed and constructed on the principles of convective heat flow using locally sourced materials to dry cassava chips. The performance of the dryer was evaluated and the results obtained showed that the system is to a large extent effective in dehydrating food items reasonably and rapidly to a save moisture level. The maximum temperatures obtained in the collector, lower and upper parts of the drying chamber were 78.5, 71.0 and 68.5°C, respectively during the validation test at no-load operating condition, while maximum temperature of 71.0, 62.5 and 60.0°C, respectively were obtained during the dehydration test. The maximum ambient air temperature was 33.5°C. The dryer was able to reduce the moisture content of 500 g cassava chips from 74.5 to 20.3% (dry basis) in 6 hours of effective dehydration time. The system overall thermal efficiency and average drying rate were found to be 58.4% and 0.083 kg/h, respectively.