Sizing solar-assisted natural rubber dryers

• Published in: Solar energy Vol. 61; no. 4; pp. 287 - 291
• Main Authors: Pratoto, A, Daguenet, M, Zeghmati, B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.10.1997; Elsevier; Pergamon Press Inc
• Subjects: Applied sciences; CAOUTCHOUC; CAUCHO; Computer simulation; Correlation methods; Devices using thermal energy; DRYERS; Drying; ENERGIA SOLAR; ENERGIE SOLAIRE; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Equipments, installations and applications; Exact sciences and technology; fuels; Natural energy; nonfood plant products; RUBBER; Rubber products; SECADORAS; SECHOIR; Solar cell arrays; Solar collectors; SOLAR ENERGY; Solar thermal conversion; xxx; xxx; Design; Dimensioning; Methodology; Solar energy; Natural rubber; Performance; Indonesia; Drying
• ISSN: 0038-092X; 1471-1257
• DOI: 10.1016/S0038-092X(97)00029-7

Due to the lack of firewood, the use of solar energy in drying of natural rubber has been envisaged and it has been the subject of several works. The present work is concerned with the design of solar-assisted natural rubber dryers. The system performance is estimated using the average day method. The possibility of heat dumping and the configuration of the collector array are taken into account. To facilitate the user in making a rapid estimation on the collector area required, a simplified sizing method is developed. To this end, an empirical relation is performed by correlating the results of short-cut simulation to design parameters which are easily determined.