Unglazed Transpired Solar Dryers for Medicinal Plants

Three different solar drying methods were carried out on four different medicinal plants to investigate the benefits of using an unglazed transpired solar dryer (UTSD) over other traditional methods. Methods involved included drying in an unglazed transpired solar dryer (using suction air flow rate of 0.06m3s-1), drying in the open air under direct sun rays and a common traditional drying method in a shaded drying house. The three drying methods were used to dry the following medicinal plants: henna (Lawsonia inermis L.), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.), marjoram (Majorana hortensis L.), and moghat (Glossostemon bruguieri L.). Drying processes were carried out under the climatic weather conditions of Ismailia, Egypt. Drying rate, drying ratio, and the medicinal plants qualities in terms of oil quantity and sensation tests were considered. The results showed higher oil quantity obtained from rosemary and marjoram dried in the UTSD, compared with those dried in the shaded drying house and in the open air under direct sun.