Energy Sources Part A-recovery Utilization and Environmental Effects, Vol.35, No.3, 282-289, 2013
Performance of an Oscillating Bed Solar Dryer for Sunflower Seeds
This article explains the drying methodology for sunflower seeds in an oscillating bed solar dryer with different combinations of bed cover and reflecting mirrors. The bed is oscillated at a frequency of 2 Hz. The dryer dries 34 kg of sunflower seeds within the acceptable level of moisture content in just 8 h. Using the bed cover and the reflecting mirrors, the solar dryer gives the best drying performance. The average value of pick-up efficiency of the air and the dryer efficiency are 61.80 and 29%, respectively.
Keywords:double-pass flat plate solar collector;drier thermal efficiency;forced convection;oscillating bed;pick up efficiency;sunflower seeds