Journal
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
Volume 87, Issue -, Pages 711-725Publisher
PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.enconman.2014.07.012
Keywords
Energy efficiency; Specific energy consumption; Drying efficiency; Thermal efficiency; Roman chamomile
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
This study aimed at investigating the energy output, thermal output, drying efficiency and specific energy in various drying methods for drying of chamomile. These methods included convective, infrared, convective-infrared, microwave, microwave-convective, microwave-vacuum, vacuum, and hybrid photovoltaic-thermal solar (with/without heat pump). Results of data analysis showed that the highest energy output of 49.99% belonged to the microwave dryer, while the lowest 1.41% belonged to the vacuum dryer. Moreover, the maximum and minimum thermal outputs being 78.22% and 2.68% were associated with the vacuum-microwave and vacuum dryers, respectively. In the hot-air-related dryers, drying efficiency increased with temperature. In microwave-related dryers, however, drying efficiency first increased (up to a microwave power of 300 W) and then decreased with further increase in microwave power. Assessment of the specific energy requirement in various dryers showed that the highest and lowest values belonged to the vacuum and microwave methods with 318.42 and 4.32 MJ/kg(w), respectively. Additionally, results of analysis indicated that adding a heat pump to the photovoltaic solar dryer increases drying efficiency, energy output and thermal output, while it reduces the required specific energy. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available