Application of the drying blueberry and analysis of performance on solar air collector

In this study, the effect of the drying of half-cylindrical fins placed in a solar air collector in the regular intervals were investigated. Also, the energy and exergy analysis in the system were performed. The system of 25o and 40o sloped collector with different mass flow rates ( = 0,026 kg/h, = 0,0325 kg/h, = 0,039 kg/h, = 0,0455 kg/s, = 0,052 kg/s) were tested, separately. In each experiment, 50 grams blueberries were used as drying material. The experimental results showed that the best drying characteristics of the collector were obtained in 25o sloping and flow rate =0,0325 kg/h. In these conditions product was dried to 20,23 g and the final moisture content (MC) was calculated as 0,287 g water/g dry matter. Avarage of energy efficiency of the system was obtained as 81,74% in the collector sloped at 25o and mass flow rate, = 0.052 kg/h. However, the highest value of exergy efficiency was computed as %57,39 in the collector sloped at 25o and mass flow rate, = 0.052 kg/h.