Energy Equipment and Systems

Energy Equipment and Systems

An experimental assessment of a portable solar cabinet photovoltaic dryer utilizing parsley greens: A case study

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Hamid Mozafari 1
Mojtaba Moravej 1
Farshad Ebrahimpour 2
Reza HosseiniAra 1
1 Mechanical Engineering Department Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran
2 Agriculture Department Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran
10.22059/ees.2025.2050068.1494
Abstract
This paper presents the experimental testing of a portable double solar dryer developed by the authors. The dryer’s primary feature is its ability to facilitate direct heat transfer from sunlight, complemented by forced airflow generated by a photovoltaic fan. The material dried in this study was parsley, with tests conducted during the spring of 2024 in Khuzestan Province, southern Iran. The main objective of this research is to address the issue of non-uniform drying rates of products within the drying tray. The investigation assessed the device's efficiency and performance under varying conditions of heat and mass transfer. Environmental parameters, including sunlight, air temperature, humidity, and wind speed, were meticulously measured throughout the testing period. Results indicated that the average drying efficiency for parsley was 21.55%, with a maximum drying speed also recorded at 21.55%. Furthermore, the findings demonstrate that the dryer exhibits acceptable performance across different heating conditions. An analysis of weather conditions, including temperature, humidity, and solar radiation, revealed that increased air temperature and radiation significantly reduce drying time while enhancing dryer efficiency, which can reach approximately 37.9%. The uncertainty level of this research is calculated to be less than 5%.
Keywords
Solar Dryer
Cabinet-Photovoltaic
Experimental Study
Drying Efficiency

Subjects

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Energy Equipment and Systems
Volume 13, Issue 3 - Serial Number 3
Summer 2025
Pages 349-361