Ndukwu M C, Simo-Tagne M, Abam F I, Onwuka O S, Prince S, Bennamoun L
Department of Agricultural and Bioresources Engineering, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria.
LERMaB, ENSTIB, 27 rue Philippe Séguin, PO Box 1041, F-88051 Epinal, France.
Heliyon. 2020 Feb 12;6(2):e03401. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e03401. eCollection 2020 Feb.
The aim of this study is to present a new hybrid solar-biomass dryer and carry out thermal analysis based on energy and exergo-sustainability analysis considering all the available exergy stream of solar radiation, air stream through the collector, and exergy of the moisture in the product. The research also presented the environmental impact and economic analysis of using the dryer. Performance evaluations show that at collector efficiency of 20.81%-21.89 %, the developed solar dryers can save between 10 - 21hrs of drying time in drying 5 mm thick plantain slices to 15 % moisture content from initial moisture content of 66 % w.b when compared to drying under the open sun. The improvement potential ranged from 0.036 to 20.6W while the waste exergy ratios and sustainability index ranged from 0.38 - 0.55 and 2.3-6.11 respectively. Application of the solar dryers can save between 44 -3074 of CO entering the atmosphere per year while 2.94 to 205.43$ could also be saved at 10-100% rate of usage when compared to diesel fired dryer. The total energy consumption for drying ranges between 5.52 and 35.47 MJ, while the specific energy consumption ranged from 4.3 to 26.2 kWh/kg. The exergy efficiency ranges from 5.6 - 95.13 % during the sunshine hours.
本研究的目的是展示一种新型的太阳能-生物质混合干燥机，并基于能量和（火用）可持续性分析进行热分析，该分析考虑了太阳辐射的所有可用（火用）流、通过集热器的气流以及产品中水分的（火用）。该研究还展示了使用该干燥机的环境影响和经济分析。性能评估表明，在集热器效率为20.81%-21.89%时，与在阳光下晾晒相比，所开发的太阳能干燥机在将5毫米厚的芭蕉片从初始含水量66%（湿基）干燥至含水量15%时，可节省10 - 21小时的干燥时间。改进潜力范围为0.036至20.6瓦，而废（火用）比和可持续性指数分别为0.38 - 0.55和2.3 - 6.11。与柴油烘干机相比，使用太阳能干燥机每年可减少44 - 3074的二氧化碳排入大气，同时在10%-100%的使用率下还可节省2.94至205.43美元。干燥的总能耗在5.52至35.47兆焦之间，而比能耗在4.3至26.2千瓦时/千克之间。在日照时间内，（火用）效率范围为5.6% - 95.13%。
