Designing, manufacturing and experimental examining of hazelnut drying kiln assisted heat pump

In this thesis, a PID controlled dryer assisted heat pump has been designed, manufactured and examined experimentally. Designed and manufactured dryer analyzed by hazelnut drying which is important food product. Hazelnut which grows in the Black Sea Region in Turkey is one of the most important export products. However, since hazelnut can not be dried according to the international standards in Turkey it causes market share loss. Manufactured heat pump dryer was tested drying of hazelnut and energy analyses were made. Drying air temperatures were selected as 50 oC, 45 oC and 40 oC in the drying system. In the heat pump dryer, hazelnuts have been dried at 50 oC, 45 oC and 40 oC drying air temperatures, 24, 27 and 30 hours respectively. Drying air velocities were changed as 0.25 m/s for 50 oC, 0.32 m/s for 45 oC and 0.38 m/s for 40 oC. COPws of the heat pump dryer was calculated as 1.70 for 50 oC, 1.58 for 45 oC and 1.40 for 40 oC drying air temperatures. EUR changed between 24% and 65% for 50 oC, 17% and 63% for 45 oC and 14% and 43% for 40 oC drying air temperatures in the heat pump dryer. Key Words : Drying, hazelnut, heat pump, energy analysis