Simulation of Solar Dryer with Phase Change Material

• Main Author: Hanung Coby Saputra - Nim: 13113074 , Valentinus
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/31431
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

<p align="justify">As a country known for its agricultural commodities, crop processing is a needed industry all across Indonesia. Crop drying is one of its common aspect. Solar dryer has been developed as a way of incorporating solar energy in thermal process such as drying. However, the major disadvantage of every solar thermal systems is the intermittence of solar radiation, which is heavily reliant on weather conditions. Thermal energy storage is a technology that could potentially help improve the stability of a solar dryer. Phase change material is an attractive choice due to its high storing capabilities in a narrow temperature range. To evaluate the effects, simulation using ANSYS FLUENT is conducted in the condition of using PCM and without PCM. The simulation model is compared with experimental results from another study as a validation. The difference of PCM temperature of simulation and the experimental results was low with the highest variation of 3,1 K. The simulation results of air heater with PCM (paraffin and salt hydrate) and without PCM shows a greater increase in air outlet temperatur from using PCM compared to without PCM during the period of low solar radiation. Evaluating on its daily average efficiency, each system has a value of 16, 26% 15,47%, and 13,08% in the same order.<p align="justify">