Development of a hybrid mixed-mode solar dryer for product drying
Arslan Afzal,
Tahir Iqbal,
Kamran Ikram,
Muhammad Naveed Anjum,
Muhammad Umair,
Muhammad Azam,
Sajeela Akram,
Fiaz Hussain,
Muhammad Ameen ul Zaman,
Abid Ali,
Faizan Majeed
Affiliations
Arslan Afzal
Faculty of Agricultural Engineering & Technology, PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Tahir Iqbal
Faculty of Agricultural Engineering & Technology, PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Kamran Ikram
Department of Agricultural Engineering, KFUEIT, Rahim Yar Khan, 64200, Pakistan
Muhammad Naveed Anjum
Faculty of Agricultural Engineering & Technology, PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan; Corresponding author.
Muhammad Umair
Faculty of Agricultural Engineering & Technology, PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Muhammad Azam
Faculty of Agricultural Engineering & Technology, PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Sajeela Akram
Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Chakwal, 48800, Pakistan
Fiaz Hussain
Faculty of Agricultural Engineering & Technology, PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Muhammad Ameen ul Zaman
Faculty of Agricultural Engineering & Technology, PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Abid Ali
Faculty of Agricultural Engineering & Technology, PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Faizan Majeed
Department of Agricultural Engineering, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Bosan Road, Multan, 60800, Pakistan; Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, University of Kassel, 37213, Witzenhausen, Germany; Corresponding author.Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, University of Kassel, 37213, Witzenhausen, Germany.
Sun drying in the open air is quite popular worldwide. However, the use of solar dryers to preserve various perishable agricultural products is a relatively new area of study, and the long-term effects of this method are not yet fully understood. The slow drying process in direct sunlight can contaminate the dried materials by soil and insects. To overcome these challenges, we devised a sun drying system that included a heating part, a drying area, a portable stand, fans, and a 50-W photovoltaic panel. An alternate energy source was used to power the drying process during cloudy days and at night. Fresh Freestone peach, Golden apple, and Anaheim chilies weighing 10 kg each with the initial moisture content of 89%, 87%, and 75% on a wet basis (w.b), respectively, were used in the experiments. The final moisture content of the samples was reduced by an average of 16%, 15%, and 11% for Freestone peaches, Golden apples, and Anaheim chilies, respectively. The quality analysis was carried out to determine sample composition, total bacteria, and color of dried products. The results indicated that the dried products met the recommended quality standards for food products in terms of composition, total bacteria, and color. This research supports the use of a hybrid mixed-mode solar dryer for drying a wide range of perishable agricultural products.
