Development of a Photovoltaic-Assisted Solar Food Dehydrator for Post-Harvest Loss Reduction in Tropical Regions

Abstract

Poor preservation technologies are still a major challenge for the post-harvest losses of fruits and vegetables in the tropical regions. This paper presents the design, fabrication, and performance evaluation of a low-cost photovoltaicassisted active indirect solar food dehydrator constructed mainly from locally available materials for sustainable food preservation. The dehydrator consists of a flat-plate solar air collector, photovoltaic-powered forced convection, battery energy storage, and an insulated drying chamber that provides controlled drying conditions independent of grid electricity. The performance evaluation was conducted with tomato, banana, pepper, and apple for a loading capacity of 50, 100, 150, 200, and 250 g for 8 h drying period. The temperatures in the drying chamber rose from around 30–35°C to a maximum of 58–64°C, which was significantly higher than the ambient temperatures (28–37°C) and consequently enhanced moisture evaporation.