Numerical and experimental evaluation of the thermal and dynamic performance of a phase change material in an indirect solar dryer

IF 3.5 2区工程技术 Q1 ENGINEERING, MECHANICAL

International Journal of Refrigeration-revue Internationale Du Froid Pub Date : 2025-02-10 DOI:10.1016/j.ijrefrig.2025.02.006

Dounia CHAATOUF, Mourad SALHI, Abir Bria, Benyounes RAILLANI, Samir AMRAQUI, Ahmed MEZRHAB

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Abstract

The use of solar dryers can be limited due to inherent challenges such as the non-uniform final moisture content of the dried product and the non-continuity of the drying process. These drawbacks are mainly due to the uneven distribution of air between the trays and the intermittent availability of solar energy. Consequently, a storage unit is needed to provide heat during cloudy hours or when the sun sets. This study therefore focuses on an indirect solar dryer to identify the best location for a storage unit. Three cases were examined through numerical simulations using ANSYS Fluent, which were validated experimentally: The first case is where the PCM is located under the absorber plate, the second case is where the PCM is located in the plenum, and the third case is where there is no PCM. In order to make this comparison fair, we respected the same amount of PCM in both cases. The results show that the first case outperforms the second in terms of the average temperature inside the drying chamber. However, beyond 8 p.m., the opposite is observed, with the maximum temperature difference from the case without PCM reaching 9 and 8° for the first and second cases respectively. As regards air uniformity, the second case made the air more uniform along the trays compared with the other cases.

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来源期刊

International Journal of Refrigeration-revue Internationale Du Froid 工程技术-工程：机械

CiteScore

7.30

自引率

12.80%

发文量

363

审稿时长

3.7 months

期刊介绍： The International Journal of Refrigeration is published for the International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR) by Elsevier. It is essential reading for all those wishing to keep abreast of research and industrial news in refrigeration, air conditioning and associated fields. This is particularly important in these times of rapid introduction of alternative refrigerants and the emergence of new technology. The journal has published special issues on alternative refrigerants and novel topics in the field of boiling, condensation, heat pumps, food refrigeration, carbon dioxide, ammonia, hydrocarbons, magnetic refrigeration at room temperature, sorptive cooling, phase change materials and slurries, ejector technology, compressors, and solar cooling. As well as original research papers the International Journal of Refrigeration also includes review articles, papers presented at IIR conferences, short reports and letters describing preliminary results and experimental details, and letters to the Editor on recent areas of discussion and controversy. Other features include forthcoming events, conference reports and book reviews. Papers are published in either English or French with the IIR news section in both languages.