A Prototype of Intelligent Solar Drying According to Economic Guidelines BCG Model

Abstract

This research designed a solar drying system using heat combined with LPG gas. The solar drying system has an area of 3 m wide and 4 m long. The drying grid has a width of 1 m, a height of 1.70 m, and a length of 3.50 m, consisting of 2 pieces, 3 layers, each layer 56.6 cm, used to dry the product as a mass of 60 g of Namwa bananas.

From testing that, the solar drying system does not use additional heat from LPG gas, with the maximum heat amount and system efficiency equal to 0.615 kW and 35.89%, respectively. The initial wet standard humidity value was 71.66% until the final humidity remaining was 29.33% from the weight of 60g reduced to 48 g. Solar drying using LPG supplementary heat, the maximum heat amount and system efficiency were 3.725 kW and 79.99%, respectively. The initial wet standard humidity was 71.66% until the final humidity remained. 18.66 % from the weight of 60g decreased to 31g with the same weight and initial moisture value. It can be that the bananas dried by solar energy with LPG gas added heat have higher moisture and mass reduction than the solar drying system without added heat by 10.67% and 17g. This can reduce the drying time or during times when there is no sunlight by 1-2 days and increase the value of the community's agricultural products according to the circular economy model in the form of the BCG model.