Sustainability and 4E analysis of novel solar photovoltaic-thermal solar dryer under forced and natural convection drying

Ankur  Gupta; Biplab Das; Agnimita Biswas; Jayanta Mondol

doi:10.1016/j.renene.2022.02.090

Sustainability and 4E analysis of novel solar photovoltaic-thermal solar dryer under forced and natural convection drying

Ankur Gupta
, Biplab Das
, Agnimita Biswas
, Jayanta Mondol

NIT Silchar

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

127 Citations (Scopus)

279 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Developing a sustainable photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) solar drying system is essential to maintain zero carbon emission in the drying process. This work represents the drying of star fruit in a novel PVT solar dryer to analyze the sustainability indicators based on the energy and exergy performance with the environmental and economic evaluation (4E) under forced convection drying (FCD) and natural con-vection drying (NCD). The moisture content of star fruit in the PVT solar dryer is decreased from 10.11 (d b) to 0.19 (d b.) in 12.50 h and 14.50 h under FCD and NCD, respectively. The same has been obtained in open sun conditions with a drying time of 22.00 h. The PVT energy and exergy efficiencies are 69.27% and 31.12% in FCD mode, respectively, and 43.58% and 17.89% in NCD mode. The drying efficiency of 15.27% and 13.98%, specific moisture extraction rate of 0.1786 kg/kWh and 0.6657 kg/kWh, and specific energy consumption of 12.37 kWh/kg and 3.57 kWh/kg are evaluated in FCD and NCD modes, respectively. The drying system payback time is 1.40 yr and 1.70 yr in FCD and NCD mode, respectively.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1008-1021
Number of pages	14
Journal	Renewable Energy
Volume	188
Early online date	28 Feb 2022
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2022.02.090
Publication status	Published (in print/issue) - 30 Apr 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The different components of the prototype PVT collector integrated solar dryer system is shown in Fig. 1(a). The experimental system is comprised of two glass-to-glass semi-transparent PV modules, a PVT air collector box, a dryer cabin, two DC fans, and MS stand for supporting the structure. Each 125 Wp PV module generates electrical energy and transmits thermal energy in the PVT air collector box. Two 12 V and 0.75A DC fans are used in the PVT solar dryer to force the air in the dryer cabin from the PVT air collector box. A corrugated absorber sheet (0.001 m thick) made up of aluminum with black paint is utilized to enhance heat transfer in the PVT solar dryer. The four drying trays (0.75 m ? 0.65 m) made of aluminum mesh and wood are attached to the dryer cabin to dry the products. The wooden material is chosen for manufacturing the system due to its high insulating capacity. The dryer cabin (0.80 m ? 0.70 m ? 1.00 m) and PVT air collector box (1.95 m ? 0.98 m ? 0.12 m) are insulated with a thickness of 0.025 m polyurethane foam to resist the heat transmission losses.The authors sincerely thank SERB, India, for supporting this research work and NIT Silchar, India, availing of the institute's facilities.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Elsevier Ltd

Funding

Funding Information: The different components of the prototype PVT collector integrated solar dryer system is shown in Fig. 1(a). The experimental system is comprised of two glass-to-glass semi-transparent PV modules, a PVT air collector box, a dryer cabin, two DC fans, and MS stand for supporting the structure. Each 125 Wp PV module generates electrical energy and transmits thermal energy in the PVT air collector box. Two 12 V and 0.75A DC fans are used in the PVT solar dryer to force the air in the dryer cabin from the PVT air collector box. A corrugated absorber sheet (0.001 m thick) made up of aluminum with black paint is utilized to enhance heat transfer in the PVT solar dryer. The four drying trays (0.75 m ? 0.65 m) made of aluminum mesh and wood are attached to the dryer cabin to dry the products. The wooden material is chosen for manufacturing the system due to its high insulating capacity. The dryer cabin (0.80 m ? 0.70 m ? 1.00 m) and PVT air collector box (1.95 m ? 0.98 m ? 0.12 m) are insulated with a thickness of 0.025 m polyurethane foam to resist the heat transmission losses.The authors sincerely thank SERB, India, for supporting this research work and NIT Silchar, India, availing of the institute's facilities. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 Elsevier Ltd

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy

Keywords

Photovoltaic-thermal solar dryer
Star fruit drying
Natural and forced convection
Sustainable analysis
Energy and exergy analysis
Sustainability analysis

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10.1016/j.renene.2022.02.090

clear_star_fruit_drying_06_02Author Accepted Manuscript, 2.85 MB

Cite this

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title = "Sustainability and 4E analysis of novel solar photovoltaic-thermal solar dryer under forced and natural convection drying",

abstract = "Developing a sustainable photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) solar drying system is essential to maintain zero carbon emission in the drying process. This work represents the drying of star fruit in a novel PVT solar dryer to analyze the sustainability indicators based on the energy and exergy performance with the environmental and economic evaluation (4E) under forced convection drying (FCD) and natural con-vection drying (NCD). The moisture content of star fruit in the PVT solar dryer is decreased from 10.11 (d b) to 0.19 (d b.) in 12.50 h and 14.50 h under FCD and NCD, respectively. The same has been obtained in open sun conditions with a drying time of 22.00 h. The PVT energy and exergy efficiencies are 69.27\% and 31.12\% in FCD mode, respectively, and 43.58\% and 17.89\% in NCD mode. The drying efficiency of 15.27\% and 13.98\%, specific moisture extraction rate of 0.1786 kg/kWh and 0.6657 kg/kWh, and specific energy consumption of 12.37 kWh/kg and 3.57 kWh/kg are evaluated in FCD and NCD modes, respectively. The drying system payback time is 1.40 yr and 1.70 yr in FCD and NCD mode, respectively. ",

keywords = "Photovoltaic-thermal solar dryer, Star fruit drying, Natural and forced convection, Sustainable analysis, Energy and exergy analysis, Sustainability analysis",

author = "Ankur Gupta and Biplab Das and Agnimita Biswas and Jayanta Mondol",

note = "Funding Information: The different components of the prototype PVT collector integrated solar dryer system is shown in Fig. 1(a). The experimental system is comprised of two glass-to-glass semi-transparent PV modules, a PVT air collector box, a dryer cabin, two DC fans, and MS stand for supporting the structure. Each 125 Wp PV module generates electrical energy and transmits thermal energy in the PVT air collector box. Two 12 V and 0.75A DC fans are used in the PVT solar dryer to force the air in the dryer cabin from the PVT air collector box. A corrugated absorber sheet (0.001 m thick) made up of aluminum with black paint is utilized to enhance heat transfer in the PVT solar dryer. The four drying trays (0.75 m ? 0.65 m) made of aluminum mesh and wood are attached to the dryer cabin to dry the products. The wooden material is chosen for manufacturing the system due to its high insulating capacity. The dryer cabin (0.80 m ? 0.70 m ? 1.00 m) and PVT air collector box (1.95 m ? 0.98 m ? 0.12 m) are insulated with a thickness of 0.025 m polyurethane foam to resist the heat transmission losses.The authors sincerely thank SERB, India, for supporting this research work and NIT Silchar, India, availing of the institute's facilities. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 Elsevier Ltd",

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AU - Das, Biplab

AU - Biswas, Agnimita

AU - Mondol, Jayanta

N1 - Funding Information: The different components of the prototype PVT collector integrated solar dryer system is shown in Fig. 1(a). The experimental system is comprised of two glass-to-glass semi-transparent PV modules, a PVT air collector box, a dryer cabin, two DC fans, and MS stand for supporting the structure. Each 125 Wp PV module generates electrical energy and transmits thermal energy in the PVT air collector box. Two 12 V and 0.75A DC fans are used in the PVT solar dryer to force the air in the dryer cabin from the PVT air collector box. A corrugated absorber sheet (0.001 m thick) made up of aluminum with black paint is utilized to enhance heat transfer in the PVT solar dryer. The four drying trays (0.75 m ? 0.65 m) made of aluminum mesh and wood are attached to the dryer cabin to dry the products. The wooden material is chosen for manufacturing the system due to its high insulating capacity. The dryer cabin (0.80 m ? 0.70 m ? 1.00 m) and PVT air collector box (1.95 m ? 0.98 m ? 0.12 m) are insulated with a thickness of 0.025 m polyurethane foam to resist the heat transmission losses.The authors sincerely thank SERB, India, for supporting this research work and NIT Silchar, India, availing of the institute's facilities. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 Elsevier Ltd

PY - 2022/4/30

Y1 - 2022/4/30

N2 - Developing a sustainable photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) solar drying system is essential to maintain zero carbon emission in the drying process. This work represents the drying of star fruit in a novel PVT solar dryer to analyze the sustainability indicators based on the energy and exergy performance with the environmental and economic evaluation (4E) under forced convection drying (FCD) and natural con-vection drying (NCD). The moisture content of star fruit in the PVT solar dryer is decreased from 10.11 (d b) to 0.19 (d b.) in 12.50 h and 14.50 h under FCD and NCD, respectively. The same has been obtained in open sun conditions with a drying time of 22.00 h. The PVT energy and exergy efficiencies are 69.27% and 31.12% in FCD mode, respectively, and 43.58% and 17.89% in NCD mode. The drying efficiency of 15.27% and 13.98%, specific moisture extraction rate of 0.1786 kg/kWh and 0.6657 kg/kWh, and specific energy consumption of 12.37 kWh/kg and 3.57 kWh/kg are evaluated in FCD and NCD modes, respectively. The drying system payback time is 1.40 yr and 1.70 yr in FCD and NCD mode, respectively.

AB - Developing a sustainable photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) solar drying system is essential to maintain zero carbon emission in the drying process. This work represents the drying of star fruit in a novel PVT solar dryer to analyze the sustainability indicators based on the energy and exergy performance with the environmental and economic evaluation (4E) under forced convection drying (FCD) and natural con-vection drying (NCD). The moisture content of star fruit in the PVT solar dryer is decreased from 10.11 (d b) to 0.19 (d b.) in 12.50 h and 14.50 h under FCD and NCD, respectively. The same has been obtained in open sun conditions with a drying time of 22.00 h. The PVT energy and exergy efficiencies are 69.27% and 31.12% in FCD mode, respectively, and 43.58% and 17.89% in NCD mode. The drying efficiency of 15.27% and 13.98%, specific moisture extraction rate of 0.1786 kg/kWh and 0.6657 kg/kWh, and specific energy consumption of 12.37 kWh/kg and 3.57 kWh/kg are evaluated in FCD and NCD modes, respectively. The drying system payback time is 1.40 yr and 1.70 yr in FCD and NCD mode, respectively.

KW - Photovoltaic-thermal solar dryer

KW - Star fruit drying

KW - Natural and forced convection

KW - Sustainable analysis

KW - Energy and exergy analysis

KW - Sustainability analysis

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DO - 10.1016/j.renene.2022.02.090

M3 - Article

SN - 0960-1481

VL - 188

SP - 1008

EP - 1021

JO - Renewable Energy

JF - Renewable Energy

ER -

Sustainability and 4E analysis of novel solar photovoltaic-thermal solar dryer under forced and natural convection drying

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

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