Mohd Hafidz Ruslan

Drying of Malaysian Capsicum annuum L. (Red Chili) Dried by Open and Solar Drying

This study evaluated the performance of solar drying in the Malaysian red chili (Capsicum annuum L.). Red chilies were dried down from approximately 80% (wb) to 10% (wb) moisture content within 33 h. The drying process was conducted during the day, and it was compared with 65 h of open sun drying. Solar drying yielded a 49% saving in drying time compared with open sun drying. At the average solar radiation of 420 W/m2 and air flow rate of 0.07 kg/s, the collector, drying system, and pickup demonstrated efficiency rates of approximately 28%, 13%, and 45%, respectively. Evaporative capacity ranged from 0.13 to 2.36 kg/h, with an average of 0.97 kg/h. The specific moisture extraction rate (SMER) of 0.19 kg/kWh was obtained. Moreover, the drying kinetics of C. annuum L. were investigated. A nonlinear regression procedure was used to fit three drying models. These models were compared with experimental data on red chilies dried by open sun drying and those dried by solar drying. The fit quality of the models was evaluated using their coefficient of determination (), mean bias error, and root-mean-square error values. The Page model resulted in the highest and the lowest mean bias and root-mean-square errors.

The Prediction of Drying Uniformity in Tray Dryer System using CFD Simulation

Tray dryer is the most extensively used because of its simple and economic design. In a tray dryer, more products can be loaded as the trays are arranged at different levels. The product is spread out on trays at an acceptable thickness. The drawback of this dryer is non-uniformity in the desired moisture content of end product due to poor air flow distribution in the drying chamber. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is used extensively because of its capability to solve equations for the conservation of mass, momentum, and energy using numerical methods to predict the temperature, velocity, and pressure profiles. This research is to predict drying uniformity of new design of the commercial tray dryer for agricultural product. The temperature and velocity profile, streamline and velocity on each tray was analysed to study the uniformity of the drying. The 3D simulation is done to represent the actual model. Generally the temperatures are considered uniform for all trays. However the average air velocity at several trays which is at tray number 1,7,8 and 15 are much higher than others tray. The rest of the trays are look more uniform. The average air velocity above the tray is about 0.38 m/s.

Drying of salted silver jewfish in a hybrid solar drying system and under open sun: Modeling and performance analyses

ABSTRACT This study investigated the thin-layer drying kinetics of salted silver jewfish in a hybrid solar drying system and under open sun. Ten drying models were compared with experimental data of salted silver jewfish drying. A new model was introduced, which is an offset linear logarithmic (offset modified Page model). The fit quality of the models was evaluated using the coefficient of determination (R2), root mean square error (RMSE), and sum of squared absolute error (SSAE). The result showed that Midilli et al. model and new model were comparable with two or three-term exponential drying models. This study also analyzed energy and exergy during solar drying of salted silver jewfish. Energy analysis throughout the solar drying process was estimated on the basis of the first law of thermodynamics, whereas exergy analysis during solar drying was determined on the basis of the second law of thermodynamics. At an average solar radiation of 540 W/m2 and a mass flow rate of 0.0778 kg/sec, the collector efficiency and drying system efficiency were about 41% and 23%, respectively. Specific energy consumption was 2.92 kWh/kg. Moreover, the exergy efficiency during solar drying process ranged from 17% to 44%, with an average value of 31%. The values of improvement potential varied between 106 and 436 W, with an average of 236 W.

The Effect of Drying Air Temperature and Humidity on the Drying Kinetic of Kenaf Core

Drying kinetics of kenaf core was investigated in a Low Temperature and Humidity Chamber Test. The drying experiments were carried out at temperature of 45, 50 and 55°C and air relative humidity of 10, 20 and 30% using a constant air velocity of 1.0 m/s. The moisture content data at various drying air conditions were converted to moisture ratio and plotted against time to obtain the drying curves for each experimental data. The curves were fitted to eight different thin layer drying models to determine a suitable model for drying of kenaf core. The fit quality of the models was evaluated based on their coefficient of determination (R2), reduced chi-square (χ2) and root mean square error (RMSE). Among the eight models, Two Term model is the best model for describing the drying behavior of kenaf core. The drying air temperature gave more significant effect on the drying kinetic of kenaf core compared to the drying air relative humidity under the experimental conditions studied.

Preliminary results of a V-groove back-pass solar collector

The study conducted by the Solar Energy Research Group, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia shows that solar energy has a great potential to be used in drying processes. A prototype solar drying system was designed and tested in the campus (Othman et. al, 1994). The study shows that the system can be upgraded by improving the solar collector. This paper presents the preliminary result on the performance of the V-groove back-pass solar collector modified from V-groove double flow solar collector designed earlier (Othman et. al, 1992). The results shows that the collector maintained the output temperature eventhough there are changes of solar radiation intensity. At 0.65 ms−1 air flow rate, the output temperature of the collector can manage to maintain 40°C in the range of solar intensity of 800 Wm−2 to 300 Wm−2 within 15 minutes time interval, and at 0.45 ms−1, the output temperature is 43°C in the range of solar intensity of 800 Wm−2 to 600 Wm−2. The min daily efficiency of 20% is recorded at 450 Wm−2 of min daily solar radiation at 0.65 ms−1 flow rate. At 0.45 ms−1 flow rate with the equal amount of daily min solar radiation the min daily efficiency is 13%. The result is expected to be better if the study is conducted in May - June when the weather is better.

Prospects of Graphene as a Potential Carrier-Transport Material in Third-Generation Solar Cells

Third-generation solar cells are understood to be the pathway to overcoming the issues and drawbacks of the existing solar cell technologies. Since the introduction of graphene in solar cells, it has been providing attractive properties for the next generation of solar cells. Currently, there are more theoretical predictions rather than practical recognitions in third-generation solar cells. Some of the potential of graphene has been explored in organic photovoltaics (OPVs) and dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), but it has yet to be fully comprehended in the recent third-generation inorganic-organic hybrid perovskite solar cells. In this review, the diverse role of graphene in third-generation OPVs and DSSCs will be deliberated to provide an insight on the prospects and challenges of graphene in inorganic-organic hybrid perovskite solar cells.

Mathematical modelling for the drying method and smoothing drying rate using cubic spline for seaweed Kappaphycus Striatum variety Durian in a solar dryer

The solar drying experiment of seaweed using Green V-Roof Hybrid Solar Drier (GVRHSD) was conducted in Semporna, Sabah under the metrological condition in Malaysia. Drying of sample seaweed in GVRHSD reduced the moisture content from about 93.4% to 8.2% in 4 days at average solar radiation of about 600W/m2 and mass flow rate about 0.5 kg/s. Generally the plots of drying rate need more smoothing compared moisture content data. Special cares is needed at low drying rates and moisture contents. It is shown the cubic spline (CS) have been found to be effective for moisture-time curves. The idea of this method consists of an approximation of data by a CS regression having first and second derivatives. The analytical differentiation of the spline regression permits the determination of instantaneous rate. The method of minimization of the functional of average risk was used successfully to solve the problem. This method permits to obtain the instantaneous rate to be obtained directly from the experimental data. The drying kinetics was fitted with six published exponential thin layer drying models. The models were fitted using the coefficient of determination (R2), and root mean square error (RMSE). The modeling of models using raw data tested with the possible of exponential drying method. The result showed that the model from Two Term was found to be the best models describe the drying behavior. Besides that, the drying rate smoothed using CS shows to be effective method for moisture-time curves good estimators as well as for the missing moisture content data of seaweed Kappaphycus Striatum Variety Durian in Solar Dryer under the condition tested.

The CFD Simulation of Tray Dryer Design for Kenaf Core Drying

Tray dryer is the most extensively use for kenaf core drying because of its simple and economic design. The product is spread out on trays at an acceptable thickness so that the product can be dried uniformly. Most tray dryers use hot air stream where water is vaporized from the product and removed by air stream. In a tray dryer, more products can be loaded as the trays are arranged at different levels. The drawback of this dryer is non-uniformity in the desired moisture content of end product. The key to the successful operation of the tray dryer is uniform airflow distribution over the trays. Therefore, the good design of the drying chamber configuration in a tray dryer is necessary to obtain optimum performance. This research is to design the uniform airflow distribution throughout the drying chamber using CFD simulation for kenaf core drying. Several configurations of drying chamber and trays position was designed and simulated to determine the tray dryer which can produce better airflow distribution. It was found that the design B gives a more uniform airflow distribution compared to others design. The good design of kenaf core dryer should be able to produce uniform drying at high drying capacity and shorter drying time.

Experimental studies on the thermal efficiency of the single-pass solar air collector with fins

The experimental study on a forced-convective single-pass solar air collector with fins has been conducted. The work is a comparative study of performance analysis of solar collector at different mass flow rate, solar radiation and depth of the air flow channel. The fins attached at the back of absorbing plate to improve the thermal performance of the system. The results showed that the thermal efficiency increase with flow rate to 60% at 730 Wm−2. The study concluded that the thermal efficiency is increased proportion to solar radiation, flow rate and the depth of the channel.

Comparison of Selected Metals Content in Cambodian Striped Snakehead Fish (Channa striata) Using Solar Drying System and Open Sun Drying

The content of 12 elements in Cambodian dried striped snakehead fish was determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The present study compares the level of the trace toxic metals and nutritional trace elements in the fish processed using solar drying system (SDS) and open sun drying (OSD). The skin of SDS fish has lower level of As, Pb, and Cd compared to the OSD sample. As such, the flesh of the fish accumulated higher amount of toxic metals during OSD compared to SDS. However, arsenic was detected in both samples within the safe limit. The nutritional elements (Fe, Mn, Mg, Se, Mo, Cu, Ni, and Cr) were higher in the skin sample SDS fish compared to OSD fish. These beneficial metals were not accumulated in the flesh sample SDS fish demonstrating lower level compared to drying under conventional system. The reddish coloration of the SDS fish was due to the presence of high Cu content in both the skin and flesh samples which possibly account for no mold formation 5 days after packaging. As conclusion, drying of Cambodian C. striata using solar-assisted system has proven higher content of the nutritious elements compared to using the conventional system despite only slight difference in the toxic metals level between the two systems.