Renewable Energy, Vol.169, 541-556, 2021
Energy-exergy analysis of an infrared dryer equipped with a photovoltaic-thermal collector in glazed and unglazed modes
In this study, the manufacturing and testing of an infrared dryer equipped with a PV/T solar collector were investigated. The total energy for the drying process is provided by solar energy. This study sought to compare the experimental results of glazed and unglazed modes and observe the effect of volume flow rate variations on the drying process of the products to determine the dryer's energy and exergy efficiency and analyze the drying kinetic of potato slices. The amount of inlet airflow to the PV/T was controlled during the experiment. The power of the fan is supplied directly from two photovoltaic panels and the surplus amount of electrical energy is assigned to an infrared radiation source to enhance the process. Despite the low energy consumption of the current system, the products' drying time was significantly reduced compared to similar systems. As a result, in glazed experiments, the drying time is prolonged in a range of 12-25% for 3 mm thicknesses and between 5 and 25% for 7 mm thicknesses compared to unglazed experiments. The maximum system energy efficiency and system exergy efficiency were 9% and 0.5%, respectively, calculated for 7 mm slices in unglazed tests. (C) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords:Solar dryer;Infrared wave;Photovoltaic panel;PV/T collector;Exergy efficiency;Energy efficiency