SLIIT International Conference on Engineering and Technology [SICET]

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://rda.sliit.lk/handle/123456789/313

SLIIT International Conference on Engineering and Technology is organized by the Faculty of Engineering. SICET welcomes submissions from various disciplines, focusing on emerging trends in Engineering, Technology, and Applied and Natural Sciences. The conference will encompass research in theory, practical applications, and education. This event offers a unique platform for academics, student researchers, and industry practitioners to present innovative ideas and engage with professionals from diverse engineering fields

https://sicet.sliit.lk

Browse

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    PublicationOpen Access
    Design and Fabrication of a Novel Hybrid Solar Dryer
    (SLIIT, 2022-02-11) Perera, C; Fernando, G; Liyanage, M
    A hybrid solar dryer was designed and tested for commercial dissemination of active and passive drying methods over traditional sun drying methods. The proposed dryer employs novel features such as user controllability of the drying parameters and includes sensors and controllers for active monitoring of drying parameters. The functionality of the dryer is broadened by using logic control whereby intermittent drying patterns are introduced to the system for more efficient operation. This paper documents the design calculations and fabrication process of the dryer as well as the results of drying obtained under a controlled environment. 10 experiments have been carried out to assess the limits and potential improvements to the system which yielded satisfactory conditions with a temperature fluctuation of ±1℃ and change in %RH of ±2% at any given temperature within the specified limits. The developed system has been used for drying apples which yielded dried products from an initial weight of 346 grams to a final weight of 55 grams in 5 hours in pure convection and the same initial weight was reduced to 52 grams in 3 hours when operating in solar hybrid mode. The average energy consumption of the dryer was obtained at 300 Watts at uninterrupted solar insolation operation and 224 Watts during pure convective operation, portraying the efficient operation of the system to be eligible to be powered by a solar-powered energy storage