Energy Analysis of Forced-Air Solar Panels for a Fruit Dehydration Oven
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56294/dm2025913Keywords:
solar energy, flat solar collector, food dehydration, solar collector sizingAbstract
This article presents the design, construction, and energy analysis of three forced air solar collectors, which act as an auxiliary energy source for a fruit dehydrator with a capacity of 30 kg. The study began with a review of concepts related to solar energy, including solar collectors and finally the food dehydration process. In the construction stage, the sizing of the collectors is determined by 5.3 m² of black-painted copper for the absorbers, which will allow for the dehydration of batches of 30 kg of pineapple in a period of 18 hours. In the analysis, the results obtained indicate that the implementation of these solar collectors generates an annual savings of $1,135 in the operational costs of the dehydrator, highlighting the efficiency and economic viability of using solar energy in this context.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Roberto Salazar-Achig (Translator); Lauro Díaz (Author); Jorge Gavilanes, Carlos Gallardo, José Díaz, Diego L. Jiménez J (Translator)
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