Drying of Onion Slices in Solar Tent Dryer

P. S. Bandgar; S. A. Mehetre; J. S. Ghatge

Drying of Onion Slices in Solar Tent Dryer

P. S. Bandgar ¹, S. A. Mehetre ², J. S. Ghatge ³

Affiliations
1 Department of Renewable Energy Sources, Padmashree Dr. D.Y. Patil College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Kolhapur M.S., India
2 Department of Renewable Energy Sources, Padmashree Dr. D.Y. Patil College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Kolhapur M.S., India
3 Department of Farm Machinery and Power, Padmashree Dr. D.Y. Patil College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Kolhapur M.S., India

The experiment was conducted to study this drying of onion slices in solar tent dryer designed by D.Y. Patil College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Kolhapur. The minimum temperature was 35.5°C at 8:00 am while maximum temperature attained in solar tent dryer was 54.3°C at 02.30 pm. Solar radiation received was increased from 300 W/m2 to more than 900W/m2. The initial moisture content of fresh onion slices were taken for drying was 84.7 per cent which was reduced to 11.13 per cent (wb) in three days drying period, whereas open drying required five days. Cost analysis revealed that the cost of dried onion slices was Rs.90/- per kg and break-even point was 85.45 per cent. Payback period was 2.24 years. The profit of solar tent dryer was found to be Rs.2005.24/-