Natural convection type solar dryer with latent heat storage

Natural convection type solar dryer with latent heat storage” for drying of ginger was developed. The dryer consisted of 2 sq. m solar collector area, 0.8 m² of drying chamber and 0.0060 m³ paraffin wax thermal storage volume. During no load test, maximum temperature attained at the end of collector and drying chamber inlet was 102⁰C and 61⁰C respectively at peak radiation of 870 W/m². The full load performance of the system was evaluated with Ginger. The Ginger dried from moisture content (w.b.) of 74 per cent to 3 per cent in 24 hour. The average daily drying efficiency was found to be 12.4 per cent. During the no load test the collector efficiency varied in the range of 53 to 96 per cent and full load test in the range of 40 to 55 per cent. And back up period 2 hours. The overall thermal efficiency of the solar dryer was found to be 22.7 per cent.