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Evaluation of the Performance of a Direct Mode Solar Dryer of Local Manufacture: Application to Plantain

Received: 14 December 2022    Accepted: 29 December 2022    Published: 17 January 2023
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Abstract

This study focused on the evaluation of the performance of a direct solar dryer designed at the National Institute of Research in Engineering Sciences, Innovation and Technology. It aims to contribute to the reduction of post-harvest losses of agro-resources in Congo through the conservation and manufacture of new food products. Plantain (Musa AAB x paradisiaca) of the Agnrin variety was used as raw material. The method used was that of dimensioning the dryer, evaluating its performance to assess its capacity and also to characterize physically and chemically the banana flour obtained. The results obtained revealed that the dryer temperature was higher than the ambient temperature 86.18% on average throughout the day, at the end of the day, the temperature reached 96.88% in three hours of time shortly before noon. The drying rate and efficiency of the system were 0.1106 kg/h and 44.1% respectively. The rapid drying rate in the dryer revealed the ability to dry the food quickly to a moisture content of 34%. The analyses led to the rates of 2.23±0.39%; 0.51±0.059%; 0.5±0.0%; 9.81±0.37%; 14.4±0.11% and 82.36±0.0% in protein, ash, lipids, soluble sugars, moisture and total sugars respectively. The low water content guarantees a longer shelf life and the ash content allows the flour to be classified as type 55.

Published in Advances in Applied Sciences (Volume 8, Issue 1)
DOI 10.11648/j.aas.20230801.11
Page(s) 1-8
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Plantain, Dryer Performance, Drying

References
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    Nadia Pamela Gladys Pambou-Tobi, Arnaud Wenceslas Geoffroy Tamba Sompila, Michel Elenga, Romain Zozhau Boumba, Jacques Emmanuel Moussounga. (2023). Evaluation of the Performance of a Direct Mode Solar Dryer of Local Manufacture: Application to Plantain. Advances in Applied Sciences, 8(1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.aas.20230801.11

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    ACS Style

    Nadia Pamela Gladys Pambou-Tobi; Arnaud Wenceslas Geoffroy Tamba Sompila; Michel Elenga; Romain Zozhau Boumba; Jacques Emmanuel Moussounga. Evaluation of the Performance of a Direct Mode Solar Dryer of Local Manufacture: Application to Plantain. Adv. Appl. Sci. 2023, 8(1), 1-8. doi: 10.11648/j.aas.20230801.11

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    AMA Style

    Nadia Pamela Gladys Pambou-Tobi, Arnaud Wenceslas Geoffroy Tamba Sompila, Michel Elenga, Romain Zozhau Boumba, Jacques Emmanuel Moussounga. Evaluation of the Performance of a Direct Mode Solar Dryer of Local Manufacture: Application to Plantain. Adv Appl Sci. 2023;8(1):1-8. doi: 10.11648/j.aas.20230801.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.aas.20230801.11,
      author = {Nadia Pamela Gladys Pambou-Tobi and Arnaud Wenceslas Geoffroy Tamba Sompila and Michel Elenga and Romain Zozhau Boumba and Jacques Emmanuel Moussounga},
      title = {Evaluation of the Performance of a Direct Mode Solar Dryer of Local Manufacture: Application to Plantain},
      journal = {Advances in Applied Sciences},
      volume = {8},
      number = {1},
      pages = {1-8},
      doi = {10.11648/j.aas.20230801.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.aas.20230801.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.aas.20230801.11},
      abstract = {This study focused on the evaluation of the performance of a direct solar dryer designed at the National Institute of Research in Engineering Sciences, Innovation and Technology. It aims to contribute to the reduction of post-harvest losses of agro-resources in Congo through the conservation and manufacture of new food products. Plantain (Musa AAB x paradisiaca) of the Agnrin variety was used as raw material. The method used was that of dimensioning the dryer, evaluating its performance to assess its capacity and also to characterize physically and chemically the banana flour obtained. The results obtained revealed that the dryer temperature was higher than the ambient temperature 86.18% on average throughout the day, at the end of the day, the temperature reached 96.88% in three hours of time shortly before noon. The drying rate and efficiency of the system were 0.1106 kg/h and 44.1% respectively. The rapid drying rate in the dryer revealed the ability to dry the food quickly to a moisture content of 34%. The analyses led to the rates of 2.23±0.39%; 0.51±0.059%; 0.5±0.0%; 9.81±0.37%; 14.4±0.11% and 82.36±0.0% in protein, ash, lipids, soluble sugars, moisture and total sugars respectively. The low water content guarantees a longer shelf life and the ash content allows the flour to be classified as type 55.},
     year = {2023}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Evaluation of the Performance of a Direct Mode Solar Dryer of Local Manufacture: Application to Plantain
    AU  - Nadia Pamela Gladys Pambou-Tobi
    AU  - Arnaud Wenceslas Geoffroy Tamba Sompila
    AU  - Michel Elenga
    AU  - Romain Zozhau Boumba
    AU  - Jacques Emmanuel Moussounga
    Y1  - 2023/01/17
    PY  - 2023
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.aas.20230801.11
    DO  - 10.11648/j.aas.20230801.11
    T2  - Advances in Applied Sciences
    JF  - Advances in Applied Sciences
    JO  - Advances in Applied Sciences
    SP  - 1
    EP  - 8
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2575-1514
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.aas.20230801.11
    AB  - This study focused on the evaluation of the performance of a direct solar dryer designed at the National Institute of Research in Engineering Sciences, Innovation and Technology. It aims to contribute to the reduction of post-harvest losses of agro-resources in Congo through the conservation and manufacture of new food products. Plantain (Musa AAB x paradisiaca) of the Agnrin variety was used as raw material. The method used was that of dimensioning the dryer, evaluating its performance to assess its capacity and also to characterize physically and chemically the banana flour obtained. The results obtained revealed that the dryer temperature was higher than the ambient temperature 86.18% on average throughout the day, at the end of the day, the temperature reached 96.88% in three hours of time shortly before noon. The drying rate and efficiency of the system were 0.1106 kg/h and 44.1% respectively. The rapid drying rate in the dryer revealed the ability to dry the food quickly to a moisture content of 34%. The analyses led to the rates of 2.23±0.39%; 0.51±0.059%; 0.5±0.0%; 9.81±0.37%; 14.4±0.11% and 82.36±0.0% in protein, ash, lipids, soluble sugars, moisture and total sugars respectively. The low water content guarantees a longer shelf life and the ash content allows the flour to be classified as type 55.
    VL  - 8
    IS  - 1
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • National Institute for Research in Engineering Sciences, Innovation and Technology, Scientific City, Brazzaville, Congo

  • National Institute for Research in Engineering Sciences, Innovation and Technology, Scientific City, Brazzaville, Congo

  • National Institute for Research in Engineering Sciences, Innovation and Technology, Scientific City, Brazzaville, Congo

  • National Polytechnic School, Marien Ngouabi University, Brazzaville, Congo

  • National Institute for Research in Engineering Sciences, Innovation and Technology, Scientific City, Brazzaville, Congo

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