Energy and exergy analysis of the solar drying of jackfruit leather

This paper presents an energy and exergy analysis of solar drying of jackfruit leather in a solar tunnel dryer. Jackfruit leather was dried from an initial moisture content of about 76% (w.b.) to 11.88% moisture content (w.b.) in the solar tunnel dryer within 2 days of drying while at the same drying time the moisture content of similar sample reached 13.8% (w.b.) in the open sun drying method. Exergy input and exergy loss for the dryer increased with increasing solar radiation. The energy efficiency of collector and dryer varied between 27.45 and 42.50% and between 32.34 and 65.30% respectively for the variation in solar radiation between 100 and 600 Wm−2. The overall energy efficiency of the solar dryer was 42.47%. The exergetic efficiency of collector and the mean value of the exergetic efficiency of dryer were 32–69% and 41.42% respectively.

► Energy and exergy analysis of jackfruit leather in a solar tunnel dryer. ► Energy efficiency of the collector was 27.45–42.50%. ► Energy efficiency of dryer was 32.34–65.35%. ► Exergetic efficiency of the collector was 32–69%. ► Mean value of exergetic efficiency of the dryer was 41.42%.