Design and performance of a hybrid (solar panel / wind turbine) energy system assisted industrial type dryer

Within this thesis; design, production and performance experiments of hybrid (solar panel/wind turbine) energy system assisted industrial type dryer were applied. The developed dryer was operated under different operating conditions. The effects of three different drying air temperatures (50, 60 and 70 °C) and two different drying air velocities (3 and 4 m/s) on drying time, energy consumption, color and rehydration properties of maize and peas were investigated. Maize drying experiments were conducted between 02.09.2015 and 19.09.2015. Between 23.00% - 9.81% and 2.17% - 0.77% of the total energy consumption was met by solar and wind energy during the drying times, respectively. It was determined that the specific energy consumption values varied between 0.62 and 1.22 kWh/kgwater°C. According to the drying time, the maize experiments took between 340 and 565 minutes. When yellowness color values were examined, fresh samples were measured as 44.54±1.72. The lowest value was found of drying conditions of 50 °C and airspeed of 3 m/s with 35.14±1.16 and the highest value was 42.77±0.49 at 70 °C and 4 m/s air velocity drying conditions. It was concluded that the rehydration capacity was between 1.23±0.49 - 1.38±0.08 and increased with the increasing drying temperature and air velocity. Peas drying experiments were conducted between 01.07.2016 and 14.07.2016. Between 20.74% - 9.84% and 2.01% - 0.85% of the total energy consumption was met by solar and wind energy during the drying times, respectively. It was determined that the specific energy consumption values varied between 0.41 and 0.88 kWh/kgwater°C. Drying times were changed between 360 and 600 minutes. The greenness color values were examined and fresh samples were found as -5.69±0.02. The lowest and highest values were determined with 50 °C and airspeed of 3 m/s drying conditions (-2.51±0.57) and 70 °C and 4 m/s air velocity drying conditions (-0.15±0.10), respectively. The rehydration capacity was found between 1.23±0.49 - 1.38±0.08, but the difference between the experiments in the statistical analysis was not significant (p<0.05). To know the climatic values of the region and to select proper drying temperature and air velocity will directly affect the drying time and the energy consumption of developed dryer. It would be also significant to consider several parameters (color, rehydration, etc.) together to obtain a high-quality final product. As a conclusion, although the energy consumption during drying periods was not met by solar and wind energy, it has to known that the system can generate continuous electricity by grid-connected operation and all consumption can be met by feed-in-tariff. In addition, the developed dryer can be used for drying many other agricultural products.