Development of solar dryer for drying oil palm fronds before processing into animal feed
2003
Furuichi, S. | Mat Daham M. D. | Sato, J.
A prototype 30 tons capacity solar dryer was developed in MARDI for drying OPF prior to being processed into animal feed. The parameters inside the dryer are monitored by a computer which is programmed to record solar energy, temperature and humidity inside and outside the solar house at 15 minutes interval for 24 hours a day. The computer is also set to control the temperature and humidity of the dryer through a supplementary diesel heater and ventilating fan, respectively. Maximum temperature of 50 °C and minimum relative humidity of 11% could be obtained inside the solar house during the best weather conditions. A number of drying tests were conducted using the solar dryer and subsequently modified with addition of blow-down ventilating fans and improved agitators. Initial drying tests showed that the drying time to achieve 13% moisture content was about 7 days. Drying tests conducted when blow-down ventilating fans and improved stirrers were installed showed that OPF could be dried from 65% to 13% moisture content within 3 days. This shows that drying efficiency could be improved further by stirring the OPF material during drying using automated mechanical stirrers and using blow-down fans during the daytime. Solar energy has a good potential to be used as a cheap source of energy for drying OPF before they are processed into animal feed.
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