Evolution of Solar Drying Technology—A Mini-Review

Abstract

The increasing food demand, decreasing fossil fuels, expanding population and degrading environment are the drivers leading towards development in sustainable processing and storage of agricultural products. The lack of agro production and the wastage in post-processing has pulled the eyes towards sustainable storage solutions. Drying is an ancient process used to remove moisture from the harvested products. Several researchers have performed various experiments to intervene in new technology in the field of drying. The aims are to review the recent development occurring in drying technology. Waste energy recovery system coupled with solar dryer shows very good potential, while its application is more complex than solar drying. Hybrid system focuses on reducing the time of drying. The secondary source of heat was either an LPG heater or an electric heater, but its availability around various regions is still a challenge. Phase change material in solar drying technology can provide a desirable solution to post-harvesting problems. Currently the use of solar thermal energy into industrial drying processes is just to improve efficiency, reduce energy consumption, and lessen environmental impact. Economic aspects of the solar drying technology is very important for implementation of the systems. This article will help the policymaker and the researchers to make framework for energy policies in future.