Performance Evaluation of a Rice Hull-fueled Cabinet Food Dryer

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the technical performance of a rice hull-fueled cabinet food dryer. Data gathered from the drying performance in terms of drying behavior, drying rate, and dryer heat utilization efficiency using cassava chips was analyzed through an experimental design. The study also evaluated fuel consumption, thermal conversion efficiency, energy use efficiency, heat utilization efficiency, temperature distribution and economic performance. Results indicated that the dryer's average fuel consumption and the thermal conversion efficiency is 11.19 kg/hr and 6.17%. While the energy use efficiency is 41.51%, and the dryer efficiency is 11.79 %. The moisture reduction of the rice hull-fueled dryer is 8.156 kg/hr, and the heat utilization efficiency is 41.51%. The break-even of using the dryer is ₱ 4.988/kg; if rented out at ₱ 59.86/hr, the payback period is 0.988 batch/hr.