Design and Performance analysis of solar dryer with different mass flow rate of air for ficus carica (fig)

In the recent years there has been a growing interest in agricultural products dryer from the point of view of the commercial value for farmers and reduction in the wastage. Dry fig stands at a highest position in dry fruit. Dried fig production has a great important in terms of foreign trade, farmer’s income and employment. In India, its cultivation is mostly confined to western parts of Maharashtra and Gujarat, Karnataka. The largest area brought under the cultivation of fig is in the state of Maharashtra. Out of yearly total production of fig in India, near about 80% of fig production takes place in Pune (Maharashtra). Considering the commercial value of dried fig and concentrating on reduction in waste, if the renewable technology is available for local farmers then it will be economically benefited. At the same time to overcome the disadvantage of the intermittent nature of solar energy, if thermal energy storage system is integrated with solar dryer it could enhance the energy storage capacity and make the system suitable for continuous usage. Thermal energy storage and chemical pretreatment causes significant decrease in the drying time for all the investigated crops. The reduction rate of figs moisture content was increased with the increasing of drying air temperature and air velocity in all pretreatment of whole figs. The dryer thermal efficiency was increased with the increasing of drying air temperature and air velocity. The thermal efficiency of the PTC varies significantly with variation of mass flow rate of the air. The thermal efficiency of the PTC is on the higher side for the mass air flow rate of 0.027kg/sec than corresponding thermal efficiency obtained by mass air flow rate of 0.022kg/sec at any instance throughout the day.