DEVELOPMENT OF A SOLAR DRYER OF 300KG CAPACITY WITH BIOMASS

CHULHA BACK-UP

M. A. Aravindh12307019

Centre for Green Energy Technology, Pondicherry Central University

Pondicherry– 605014, India.

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Dr. A.SREEKUMAR

INTERNAL SUPERVISOR

Assistant Professor

Centre for Green Energy Technology

Pondicherry University

Puducherry 605 014.

Mr. K. N. IYER

EXTERNAL SUPERVISOR

Managing Director

Kraftwork Solar Pvt. Ltd.

Adithya, 29/2862, Near Gandhi Square,

Poonithura, Kochi – 682038

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Outline

• Introduction• Objectives• Experimental Setup• Performance & Economic Analysis• Outcomes & Conclusion• References

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Solar Power In India

•India is endowed with abundant solar energy, which is capable of producing 5,000 trillion kilowatts of clean energy. •Country is blessed with around 300 sunny days in a year and solar insolation of 4-7 kWh per Sq. m per day.

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Solar Thermal Systems- Air Heating•Fluid heating is one of the major applications of solar thermal technology•Air heating systems designing is complicated as the thermodynamic properties of the air are bad when compared to other heat transfer fluids.•Active and Passive systems

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Solar Drying• Drying is method of removing the moisture from the product

thus inhibiting the growth of microbes and fungi and also prevents seed germination.

• The older method of open sun drying is found to have many cons like contaminations by dust and sand, longer drying time, etc.

• This can be done using a drying chamber and the drying is done by passing hot air into it. For the generation of hot air, either fossil fuel powered burners or electric heaters are used.

• Fossil fuel usage will add to the environmental problems like Global warming, Green house emission etc. which are already in their peaks.

• Hence to overcome these, solar drying may be used which can compensate all pros said earlier.

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OBJECTIVES• To make a Solar Dryer for a 300kg capacity for

fish drying with Biomass Chulha Backup.• To study the performance of the solar dryer

with fish samples which are easily available in the project location.

• To predict the economic feasibility of the system so as to broadcast the technology to larger population.

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Project DetailsLocation Poovar, Kerala

Client Kerala State Coastal Area Development Corporation Ltd., Govt. of Kerala.

EPC Kraftwork Solar Pvt. Ltd., Kochi, Kerala.

The project was started as a pilot project by KSCADC Ltd. for developing Solar Driers for Fish drying in Coastal areas of Kerala.

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Problem Statement

• Usage of same collector cabinet which was used for water heating (FPC) of 100mm thickness, which had a bad impact on the flow rate and it reduced the turbulence inside the collector for better heat transfer.

• Electric heater as backup heater.• Heavy drying chamber with GI and SS304 as

outer and inner layers.

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Improvements made for the current project

• Collector Depth was increased to 100mm with a total collector depth 150mm.

• Biomass chulha Backup. • Lightweight SS304 sandwiched with PUF.

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Design features

Solar Air Heater1. Gross Collector Area 2.1 m x 1.1 m 7. Depth of air duct 100 mm

2. Aperture Area 2m x 1m 8. Working Fluid Air

3. Number of

collectors

24 9. Collector Tilt 10o

4. Total Aperture Area 48 m2 10. Glazing 4 mm Toughened

glass

5. Absorber material Corrugated Al

sheet with

black coating

11. Type of flow Double Flow

6. Insulation PUF – 50mm

(back and

sides)

12. Centrifugal

Blower Capacity

1 H.P. (2500 m3/h)

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Drying Cabinet1. Dimension 3950 mm x 890 mm x 2150 mm

2. Capacity 300 kg

3.Number of trays 112

4. Tray dimension 900 mm x 650 mm x 15 mm

5. Tray material SS304

6. Insulation PUF – 50 mm

7. Axial Fan Capacity 0.25 HP (1000 m3/h)

8. No. of Axial Fans 2

Design features

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Schematic for Solar Air Heater

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Schematic for experimental setup

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Temperature & Solar Radiation Vs Time

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Drying Curve

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Samples

Open sun drying

Solar drying

Fresh

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Economic Analysis

• Economic analysis helps in understanding the benefits of solar dying by comparing with the economics involved in other using other methods of drying, say electric, fuels etc.

• It is done using three methods namely, Annualized Cost Method, Life Savings Method and Payback Period Method.

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Parameters considered for Economic analysis

1. Capital investment for solar dryer

1,602,140.00 INR 6. Cost of dried product

150.00 INR

2. Capital investment for electric dryer

1,200,000.00 INR 7. Electricity cost 5.00INR/kWh

3. Interest rate 10% 8. Quantity of fresh pineapple loaded per batch

35 kg

4. Inflation rate 8% 9. Life span 20 years5. Cost of fresh

product30.00 INR 10. Efficiency of the

electric heater75%

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Annualized Cost Method

Cost of Drying (INR)0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Solar DryingElectric Drying

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Life Savings MethodYear Annual Savings

(Million INR)

Present worth of annual savings (Million INR)

Present worth of cumulative saving

(Million INR)

1 2.5 2.3 2.3

2 2.8 2.4 4.8

3 3.1 2.4 7.3

4 3.4 2.5 9.8

5 3.7 2.5 12.4

6 4.1 2.6 15.0

7 4.5 2.6 17.6

. . . .

. . . .

. . . .19 14.3 3.3 53.8

20 15.7 3.3 57.2

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PAYBACK PERIOD

• Payback period was calculated to be 0.704 years, which was equivalent 183 drying days.

• It clearly shows that the dryer will produce the dried product free of fuel cost with nominal running cost during its entire life period.

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Conclusion

• Solar Dryer for fish Drying is designed and installed.• Performance analysis is done and found that solar

drying is found to be better, being faster and hygienic.

• Economic analysis shows better results with a payback period of nearly 183 drying days.

• Estimated Savings for a life of 20 years is found to be 57.2 million INR for an initial investment of only 1.6 million INR.

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QUERIES?....

THANK YOU…