Analysis and Testing of a Natural Convection Solar Dryer for the Tropics

Table 2

Performance evaluation of the system.

S/N	Parameters	Values	Equations used
1	Heat absorbed by radiation into the collector, 𝑄rad,in	132.35 W	(4)
2	Total solar input, 𝐼	727.22 W/m^2	(5)
3	Heat loss by conduction and convection through the base of the collector, 𝑄cb,loss	70.99 W	(6)
4	Useful heat in collector, 𝑄𝑢	61.36 W	(7)
5	Collector efficiency, 𝜂𝑐	46.4%	(8)
6	Heat absorbed by radiation in cabinet, 𝑄rad,in	291.48 W	(9)
6	Heat transfer from collector case into cabinet, 𝑄gc,in	0.97 W	(10)
7	Heat radiated by cabinet surface, 𝑄rad,out	26.64 W	(11)
8	Heat transfer from cabinet side wall by cond/conv, 𝑄vc	27.94 W	(12)
9	Heat transfer from cabinet top wall by cond/conv, 𝑄tc	2.74 W	(13)
10	Heat transfer from cabinet bottom by cond/conv, 𝑄bc	4.89 W	(14)
11	Total heat loss from cabinet, 𝑄loss	62.21 W	(15)
12	Useful heat in cabinet, 𝑄𝑢	230.24 W	(16)
13	System efficiency, 𝜂𝑠	78.73%	(17)
14	Percentage moisture removed from product, 𝛾%	77.5%	(18)
15	Final moisture content of product, 𝑚𝑓	15.75%	(19)
16	Amount of moisture content removed, 𝑚	1.29 kg	(20)
17	Quantity of heat used in evaporation, 𝑞𝑒	3.1 × 10^6 MJ	(21)
18	Average drying rate, 𝑚ave	0.184 kg/hr	(23)
19	Drying time, 𝛿	(0.213/day)^−1	(24)