Authors : D. A. Ajadi , G. R. Fajinmi and Y. K. Sanusi
Abstract: Dust is one of the limiting factors of solar thermal system in the agricultural sectors area. This paper presents the effect of dust on the performance of a solar dryer. Two similar solar dryers were constructed with the same dimensions and materials. One serves as control experiment, which was constantly cleaned up before each daily readings commenced; while the other served as the test dryer for the period of the experiment. The effect of dust on both the absorber temperature Ta and the oven temperature To, of each dryer was determined for the two experimental setups. The daily absorber temperature Ta and the oven temperature To, were recorded for a period of 25 days; for both dryers simultaneously. The daily maximum temperature of the absorber Ta and the oven temperature To, of each dryer were obtained. The results show that, the values of oven temperature of the control dryer are always higher and approximately constant in magnitudes between 42o C and 45o C compared with the oven temperature of the test dryer. While the values of the absorber temperatures of the control dryer are between 55oand 65o C. The maximum temperatures of the absorber and the oven of the test dryer were observed to fluctuate in magnitude.
D. A. Ajadi , G. R. Fajinmi and Y. K. Sanusi , 2007. EFFECT OF DUST ON THE PERFORMANCE OF A LOCALLY DESIGNED SOLAR DRYER. Research Journal of Applied Sciences, 2: 251-254.