Publication Type

Journal Article

Publication Date (Issue Year)

2023

Journal Name

Journal of Food Processing and Preservation

Abstract

This study examines a novel solar-assisted heat pump dryer integrated with a thermal energy storage system using soapstone asstorage material. The dryer is investigated through experimental analysis across three operating modes: mode 1 with thermalenergy storage during daytime, mode 2 without thermal energy storage during nighttime, and mode 3 without thermal energystorage during daytime. Experiments were carried out to investigate the drying of 500 g of Cavendish banana. Thermalperformance, as well as economic, and nutritional content were examined. Three replicates of the experiment yieldedconsistent results, showing a significant reduction in the moisture content of the initial sample from 74.4% to 9.6% afterundergoing distinct drying durations. Mode 1 achieved this reduction in 270 minutes, mode 2 in 390 minutes, and mode 3 in360 minutes. The average specific moisture extraction rates for modes 1, 2, and 3 were 0.13, 0.11, and 0.12 kg/kWh,respectively. Simultaneously, the drying rate ranged from 0.16 to 0.24% per minute. The drying efficiency varied among thetested modes, with mode 1 achieving the highest efficiency at 23.23%. In terms of coefficient of performance, mode 1, mode 2,and mode 3 exhibited values of 3.69, 2.57, and 2.54, respectively. The economic analysis conducted specifically for mode 1revealed a payback period of 1.5 years, indicating the time required to recover the initial investment. Additionally, the resultsindicated that the dried Cavendish banana had significantly higher concentrations of proximate parameters and mineralscompared to the fresh Cavendish banana, as evidenced by a p value less than 0.05.

Keywords

Thermal Performance, Technoeconomic Analysis, Solar-Assisted Heat, Pump Dryer Integrated, Energy StorageMaterials, Drying Cavendish Banana (Musa acuminata)

Grantee Name(s)

Alde Belgard Loemba Tchicaya

Project Title

Solar-assisted heat pump dryer with energy storage for drying biomaterials

Type of Grant

Research Award

Thematic Area

Minerals, Mining and Materials Engineering

Funding Statement

The authors would like to extend their heartfelt appreciation for the support received from the Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (RSIF), which is a flagship program under the esteemed Partnership for Skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering, and Technology (PASET). PASET, being an Africa-led initiative affiliated with the World Bank, is dedicated to advancing scientific knowledge and technological expertise within the region. The authors also acknowledge support from the RSIF-funded project titled “Solar-assisted heat pump dryer with energy storage for drying biomaterials (SOHEADS)” with Grant reference no. RSIF/RA/001. The authors also express their gratitude to the committee of the 11th International Conference of the African Materials Research Society (AMRS2022) for allowing their research to be published in part in MRS Advances journal.

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