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1. NATIONAL ENGINEERING COLLEGE
(An Autonomous Institution – Affiliated to Anna University Chennai)
K.R.NAGAR, KOVILPATTI – 628 503
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
19ME73C - Research Paper and Patent Review - Seminar
GUIDED BY
Mr. Beno wincy AP/MECH
Department of Mechanical Engineering
National Engineering College, Kovilpatti
PRESENTED BY
Akash K (2010004)

2. About the title:
Solar Biogas Hybrid Dryer, combines solar energy and biogas to create an efficient and eco-
friendly solution for drying fish. By harnessing the power of renewable energy sources, since two energy
sources are used the drying process can be continued during sunshine hours and also during non
sunshine hours. The closed chamber design ensures the highest hygiene standards, making it a safe and
hygienic option for food processing and ensures effective moisture removal. It addresses critical issues in
food preservation and showcases a sustainable approach to drying processes.

3. Research Paper 1
TITLE Numerical investigation of an indirect solar dryer equipped with two solar air collectors using
computational fluid dynamics
Authors Mourad Salhi, Dounia Chaatouf, Benyounes Raillani, Abir Bria, Samir Amraqui, Ahmed Mezrhab
Publisher and
Publishing
year
Journal of Stored Products Research
December 2023
Findings
• The results showed that the optimum position of the outlet was in the right and center
corner for one and two solar air heaters, respectively. By comparing these two cases in terms
of mass flow rate, temperature along the trays and inside the drying chamber it was found
that the two solar air heaters dryer was more efficient, such as the drying efficiency reaches
97.36%.

4. Research Paper 2
TITLE A comprehensive review of solar dryers incorporated with phase change materials for enhanced
drying efficiency
Authors Abuelnuor A.A. Abueluor, Majdi T. Amin, Mohamed Ali Abuelnour, Obai Younis .
Publisher and
Publishing
year
Journal of Energy Storage
20 November 2022
Findings
• The results showed that the dryer time was reduced to 30 h compared to 55 h without
thermal energy storage..
• The experimental results show that the solar dryer integrated with paraffin wax has reduced
the drying time of peppers to 2 days compared to 3 and 4 days for dryers without PCM and
for the open sun.
• The paraffin wax was used as PCM. The results show that the drying time was reduced by
about 60.7 % compared to the conventional dryer

5. Research Paper 3
TITLE Fabrication and testing of hybrid solar-biomass dryer for drying fish
Authors Hamdani, T.A. Rizal, Zulfri Muhammad
Publisher and
Publishing
year
Case Studies in Thermal Engineering
September 2018
Findings
• The final weight of dried fish after 17 h rest at 12.3 kg, with an initial load of 25 kg. The graph
shows that the water content curve remains flat after 15 h, meaning the water content tends
to be constant. Therefore, it concludes that the designed and fabricated dryers are capable of
drying the fish for 15 h with the final moisture content in the fish around 12%.

6. Research Paper 4
TITLE Design, development, and performance testing of thermal energy storage based solar dryer
system for seeded grapes
Authors G.R. Gopinath, S. Muthuvel, M. Muthukannan, R. Sudhakarapandian
Publisher and
Publishing
year
Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments
June 2022
Findings
• The grapes were dried out from an initial moisture content of 80.2% to a final moisture
content of about 18.6%. The prototype model of the solar dryer with PCM was
recommended to limit the use of the workforce, avoid improper drying, and reduce the
overall drying period. An increase in the quantity of PCM in the solar dryer reduced the
overall drying time of the grapes.

7. Research Paper 5
TITLE Design and performance evaluation of solar - LPG hybrid dryer for drying of shrimps
Authors S. Murali, P.R. Amulya, P.V. Alfiya, D.S. Aniesrani Delfiya, Manoj P. Samuel
Publisher and
Publishing
year
Renewable Energy
March 2020
Findings
• Results revealed that the water was capable of capturing maximum heat energy during peak
sunshine hours. The maximum collector outlet temperature of 73.5 °C was obtained during
drying. Overall, solar system supplied 73.93% of heat energy and LPG water heater assisted
rest of the energy requirement due to lower incident solar radiation during start and end of
drying. The maximum collector and drying efficiency obtained for shrimp drying were 42.37%
and 37.09%, respectively.

8. Research Paper 6
TITLE Solar thermal drying performance analysis of banana and peach in the
region of Gafsa (Tunisia)
Authors Faouzi Nasri
Publisher and
Publishing
year
Case Studies in Thermal Engineering
December 2020
Findings
• On the first day, glass, absorber and chimney temperatures reach a maximum value of
55.5°C, 77.7°C and 66°C respectively. On the second day, glass, absorber and chimney
temperatures reach a maximum value of 57°C, 79°C, 67.5°C respectively

9. Research Paper 7
TITLE A review on solar dryers integrated with thermal energy storage units for drying agricultural
and food products
Authors G. Srinivasan, D.K. Rabha, P. Muthukumar
Publisher and
Publishing
year
Solar Energy
November 2021
Findings
• A detailed discussion on different dryer types, product dried, operating parameters, sensible
and latent heat storage materials used, and their outcomes are reported and tabulated.
Further, the article also provides a detailed summary on the implementation of thermal
storage units in solar dryers

10. Research Paper 8
TITLE Experimental analysis of solar fish dryer using phase change material
Authors Virbhadra M. Swami, Arun T. Autee, Anil T R
Publisher and
Publishing
year
Journal of Energy Storage
December 2018
Findings
• It can be concluded that, optimized air flow rate which is 5 m/s velocity of air, 0.314 kg/s mass
flow rate and 10 cm depth of heating chamber are best suitable for optimized condition of
operating temperature of solar fish dryer. Drying period of fish is then reduced approximately
by 70%.
• Approximately 40% heat, out of total available heat, is utilized and 60% heat is found to be
exhausted unutilized. To accumulate this heat, use of PCM is found to be an excellent
technique.

11. Research Paper 9
TITLE Fabrication and testing of double-sided solar collector dryer for drying banana
Authors Pimpan Pruengam, Siwalak Pathaveerat, Prasertsak Pukdeewong
Publisher and
Publishing year
Case Studies in Thermal Engineering
October 2021
Findings
• The ambient parameter results showed that dryer could reach a maximum outlet
temperature of 62.7 °C and the lowest relative humidity in the drying chamber was 21.7%
which was 1.6 times lower than the ambient condition. Bananas with an initial moisture
content of 68.5% has final values of 17.4% and 27.3% for solar collector drying and sun
drying, respectively. The high drying rate in the solar collector dryer could reduce the
banana moisture content 1.3–1.5 times faster than from sun drying. The average thermal
efficiency levels for solar drying system and solar collector was 13% and 21.9%,
respectively.

12. Research Paper 10
TITLE Performance evaluation of a mixed-mode solar thermal dryer with black pebble-based sensible
heat storage for drying marine products
Authors Jigar K. Andharia , Jitesh B. Solanki, Subarna Maiti
Publisher and
Publishing
year
Journal of Energy Storage
January 2023
Findings
• The energy storage material positioned on the absorber plate in the drying chamber
continued to release thermal energy till 7 h after sundown. The overall thermal efficiency of
the system was calculated to be 25.47 %
• The quality analyses for the dried shrimps showed improved results for samples dried in the
energy storage-based unit, and the acceptability was better than the conventional open
sundried samples.

13. Summary
From the Patents/Research Paper, the following conclusions have been made.
 Research Paper 1 :
This study addresses the issue of uneven airflow distribution in conventional solar dryers, caused by a single
solar air heater. To remedy this, the authors propose a novel configuration with two smaller solar air heaters facing
the sun, supplying hot air from both sides. Using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and climate data simulation, they
compare the performance of one and two solar air heater dryers. Results show that the two-heater setup significantly
outperforms the single heater design, achieving a remarkable drying efficiency of 97.36%. This innovative
approach improves drying uniformity and efficiency, particularly beneficial for Eastern Morocco's climate conditions.
 Research Paper 2 :
The study evaluates the use of phase change materials (PCMs) in solar dryers, emphasizing their benefits, including
improved efficiency and shorter drying times. It analyzes the performance of PCM-integrated solar dryers in terms o f
drying rate, duration, temperature, humidity, and thermal efficiency. By summarizing key findings, the review offers
valuable insights for researchers, advancing the understanding of PCM enhanced solar drying for sustainable and
eco -friendly food processing.

14.  Research Paper 3 :
The research involves the development and testing of a solar energy drying unit combined with biomass-fueled air
heating. This drying system comprises a 260 cm x 80 cm drying chamber with a glass cover and a crossflow heat
exchanger using biomass as fuel. Raw fish weighing 25 kg were dried using a combination of solar energy from 09:00 to
16:00 and hot air generated from biomass combustion, maintaining temperatures at 40–50 °C from 16:00 to 06:00. The
study found that, after approximately 22–23 hours of drying, the fish's weight stabilized at 12.5 kg.
 Research Paper 4 :
This study focuses on preventing post -harvest food crop deterioration through efficient drying methods,
particularly the use of solar energy. A medium-sized forced convection solar dryer with Phase Change Material (PCM),
specifically organic paraffin wax, was designed to enhance drying efficiency, even during periods without
sunshine. The research compares drying performance for seeded grapes under open sun drying, solar drying without
PCM, and solar drying with varying PCM quantities (100g and 200g). Results show that the PCM-based solar dryer
significantly reduces drying time, with grapes drying from 80.2% to 18.6% moisture content. Increasing PCM quantity
further reduces drying duration, indicating PCM's effectiveness in heat retention.

15.  Research Paper 5 :
The study focuses on designing an energy-efficient solar dryer for continuous operation. This solarLPG hybrid dryer
uses water for thermal energy storage and heat transfer and air as an intermediary. It consists of a solar water
collector, a water storage tank, a drying chamber, a heat exchanger, and an LPG water heater. The system primarily relies
on solar energy during peak sunlight hours and switches to LPG as an auxiliary heat source during low sunlight
periods. The dryer effectively reduced the moisture content of fresh shrimp from 76.71% to 15.38% within 6 hours of
drying, with a peak collector outlet temperature of 73.5°C. Solar energy contributed 73.93% of the heat energy, while
the LPG heater supplied the remainder due to lower incident solar radiation at the start and end of drying. The
maximum collector and drying efficiency achieved were 42.37% and 37.09%, respectively.
 Research Paper 6 :
This study underscores the significance of solar drying as an ecofriendly food preservation method. It aims to design
and experimentally evaluate a solar chimney-dryer for drying banana and apricot slices. The detailed design involves
an absorber, glass cover, and chimney for air heating. Experimental investigations monitor the evolution of
temperatures within the system under Gafsa-Tunisia's meteorological conditions. The study conducts solar thin
layer drying experiments on banana and apricot at two different drying air flow rates.

16.  Research Paper 7 :
This article presents a comprehensive review of solar dryers and their integration with thermal energy storage
units to enable continuous drying, even during periods without sunlight. The review covers various types of solar
dryers, including direct, indirect, and mixed -mode, operating under natural and forced convection. It discusses the
types of products dried, operating parameters, and the materials used for sensible and latent heat storage. The article
offers insights into the challenges and recommendations for selecting, implementing, and testing thermal storage
units in different solar dryers, providing a valuable resource for future research in this field.
 Research Paper 8 :
The author's work underscores the significance of drying as an effective and cost -efficient food preservation method
compared to refrigeration. It highlights the use of solar dryers, which reduce drying times through the strategic
utilization of heat storage materials such as Rock Bed and Pebbles. The introduction of Phase Changing Material (PCM)
in solar air drying for fish is explored, aiming to enhance heat availability, utilization, and drying kinetics.
Experimental investigations compare the effects of two PCM types with different melting points. PCM also helps
regulate temperatures within the dryer to ensure fish are not exposed to temperatures exceeding 62 °C, resulting in
improved drying efficiency and reduced drying time, as confirmed through statistical and experimental analysis.

17.  Research Paper 9 :
The author's describes the design and performance of a double-sided solar collector dryer for drying bananas.
The solar collector, tilted at a 15° angle, had a 7 m2 receiving area. After 5 days of drying, the banana's final moisture
content in the solar collector dryer was significantly lower (17.4% w.b.) compared to open sun drying (27.3% w.b.). The
drying chamber maintained high temperatures, with an average 13.6°C higher than natural sun drying. The solar
collector dryer demonstrated a faster drying rate, reducing banana moisture content 1.3–1.5 times faster, with the
collector achieving an average thermal efficiency of 21.9% and the dryer at 13%.
 Research Paper 10 :
This study evaluates a mixed mode solar thermal dryer with black pebble-based thermal energy storage for drying
shrimps in a fishing co -operative in Gujarat, India. The energy storage material continues releasing thermal
energy after sunset, resulting in an overall thermal efficiency of 25.47%. Dried shrimp quality from this unit surpasses
open sun-dried samples, with improved acceptability and lower total volatile basic substances. The economic analysis
suggests a payback period of 1.7 years, offering a promising, environmentally friendly solution for solar drying during
off-sunshine hours and potential income augmentation for coastal shrimp drying operations.

18. Conclusion on the patent survey
The research papers discussed various innovative approaches to solar drying techniques, highlighting their
potential in enhancing food preservation and sustainability. The findings collectively suggest that implementing
multiple solar air heaters, phase change materials, and hybrid systems can significantly improve drying efficiency,
reduce drying times, and ensure uniformity. These methods contribute to reducing post-harvest food losses and
environmental impact. Additionally, the integration of thermal energy storage units with solar dryers enables
continuous drying even in the absence of sunlight. These studies collectively offer valuable insights for
researchers and practitioners seeking eco-friendly solutions for food processing and preservation while
addressing diverse climate conditions and resource availability.