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<p>Solar drying is widely recognized as an efficient and environmentally friendly technique for preserving agricultural products and minimizing post-harvest losses. Nevertheless, traditional open sun drying and many existing solar dryers are constrained by prolonged drying durations, exposure to contamination, fluctuating ambient conditions, and limited assessment of thermodynamic and sustainability performance. To address these limitations, a mixed-mode solar-thermal dryer (MMSD) was designed, fabricated, and experimentally investigated for drying green chilies under the climatic conditions of Gujarat, India. Unlike most previously reported mixed-mode solar dryers that focus primarily on drying performance, the present study integrates airflow optimization, heat recovery, and life-cycle carbon mitigation analysis within a single experimental framework, providing a more comprehensive performance evaluation. Fresh green chilies with an initial moisture content of 80% (wet basis) were successfully dried to 10% (wet basis) within 12&#xa0;h of sunshine, whereas open sun drying required nearly 32&#xa0;h, corresponding to a drying time reduction of approximately 60%. Drying behavior was analyzed using eleven thin-layer drying models, and the logarithmic model (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.999826, χ<sup>2</sup> = 0.0027) along with the Wang and Singh model (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.999807, χ<sup>2</sup> = 0.0036) showed the best agreement with experimental observations. The system delivered average drying and exergy efficiencies of 8.44 and 8%, respectively, whereas the solar air heater achieved a peak thermal efficiency of 34%. Furthermore, a comprehensive 4E analysis encompassing energy, exergy, economic, and environmental aspects was performed to evaluate the overall sustainability and feasibility of the developed dryer. Accordingly, the developed mixed-mode solar dryer (MMSD) offers a promising solution for sustainable large-scale drying, particularly for communities engaged in the post-harvest processing of agricultural products, with the potential to enhance income generation and livelihood security.</p>

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Performance assessment of a mixed-mode solar-thermal dryer: innovative solution for reducing carbon footprint and sustainable drying

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月24日

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  • Pranav Mehta,
  • Nilesh Bhatt,
  • Gurmitsingh Bassan,
  • Mahmoud S. El-Sebaey,
  • Abdullah Alrashidi,
  • Abdullah Alghafis

摘要

Solar drying is widely recognized as an efficient and environmentally friendly technique for preserving agricultural products and minimizing post-harvest losses. Nevertheless, traditional open sun drying and many existing solar dryers are constrained by prolonged drying durations, exposure to contamination, fluctuating ambient conditions, and limited assessment of thermodynamic and sustainability performance. To address these limitations, a mixed-mode solar-thermal dryer (MMSD) was designed, fabricated, and experimentally investigated for drying green chilies under the climatic conditions of Gujarat, India. Unlike most previously reported mixed-mode solar dryers that focus primarily on drying performance, the present study integrates airflow optimization, heat recovery, and life-cycle carbon mitigation analysis within a single experimental framework, providing a more comprehensive performance evaluation. Fresh green chilies with an initial moisture content of 80% (wet basis) were successfully dried to 10% (wet basis) within 12 h of sunshine, whereas open sun drying required nearly 32 h, corresponding to a drying time reduction of approximately 60%. Drying behavior was analyzed using eleven thin-layer drying models, and the logarithmic model (R2 = 0.999826, χ2 = 0.0027) along with the Wang and Singh model (R2 = 0.999807, χ2 = 0.0036) showed the best agreement with experimental observations. The system delivered average drying and exergy efficiencies of 8.44 and 8%, respectively, whereas the solar air heater achieved a peak thermal efficiency of 34%. Furthermore, a comprehensive 4E analysis encompassing energy, exergy, economic, and environmental aspects was performed to evaluate the overall sustainability and feasibility of the developed dryer. Accordingly, the developed mixed-mode solar dryer (MMSD) offers a promising solution for sustainable large-scale drying, particularly for communities engaged in the post-harvest processing of agricultural products, with the potential to enhance income generation and livelihood security.