Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of domestic hybrid solar dryer under varying mass flow rates

Abstract

Computational fluid dynamics simulation is a necessary step that saves a huge amount of money and time for researchers. It validates the proposed design by showing the behavior of flow, temperature, wall fluxes, and pressure inside the design. Different solar dyer designs were validated using this technique. A domestic hybrid solar dryer was designed and simulated for Bennett University, Greater Noida, India. The dryer was designed to work sustainably under indirect and mixed-mode operation. In this piece of work, the domestic hybrid solar dryer was simulated under indirect mode operation in unloaded conditions. The domestic hybrid dryer was simulated to track working fluid (air) temperature and absorbed solar flux inside the solar dryer at six different mass flow rates in the range of 0.08125 kg/s to 1.5625 kg/s cases. The mass flow rate of 1.2 kg/s was found to be suitable for the domestic hybrid solar dryer. During all the simulated cases of mass flow rates, the total radiation solar flux at the copper absorber box was 884 W/m2. This confirms the optimum mass flow rate of designed parameter of domestic hybrid solar dryer. The temperature inside the drying cabinet was found to be 348 K which was appropriate to dry four different crops.