An experimental investigation of active mixed-mode solar dryer utilizing north wall reflector

Solar energy is the most feasible alternative to conventional sources for sustainability. In the present study, a novel mixed-mode solar dryer (MMSD) utilizing the north wall reflector has been developed in Chhattisgarh Swami Vivekanand Technical University, Bhilai, Chhattisgarh (21°27´ N, 81°43´ E) for the drying of vegetables. In this experiment, 5 kg of sliced tomatoes have been tested for the performance evaluation of the dryer. Three trays were positioned within the drying zone and uniformly loaded with tomato slices. Three distinct mass flow rates (MFRs) of 0.0456 kg/s, 0.0570 kg/s, and 0.0684 kg/s were evaluated for the MMSD, both with and without the north wall reflector. An analysis was conducted to compare the performance characteristics of both setups at all three MFRs, including open sun drying. Using the north wall reflector reduced the moisture content from 94.8% to 1.48% within 16 hours. Without the north wall reflector, it took 22 hours to reach a moisture level of 2.3%. However, the process of open-sun drying takes 38 hours to reach a moisture content of 2.7%. The MMSD with a reflector reduced the drying time by 33.3% compared to the MMSD without a reflector and by 60% compared to open-sun drying.