Solar Trap for Banana Drying Method

¹ Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universiti Tun Hussien Onn Malaysia, 86400, Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia
² Faculty of Engineering Technology, Universiti Tun Hussien Onn Malaysia, 86400, Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia
³ Jabatan Kerja Raya Kluang, 86000 Kluang, Johor, Malaysia

^* Corresponding author: sabariah@uthm.edu.my

Abstract

Food drying methods nowadays are mostly in high use of electricity and fuel which lead to high operational cost. This has resulted in a waste of energy and money due to the use of modern tools requires significant costs for implementation. Meanwhile, the traditional food drying process only uses sun rays in their process, where the process is far more efficient than the modern drying method. In this study, the test was conducted to determine the trapped solar heat energy requirements for the process of drying foods such as agricultural products, particularly bananas. The solar trap test by using solar trap container was carried out include determining the thermal energy requirement for drying, preparing equipment (solar trap container) to trap solar energy, handling and drying tests on samples of bananas. The percentage amount of water removal and energy required for the drying process was found to be 48% and 134 J. The results of this study can determine that solar trap drying method is easier, quicker and more effective than the usual method of drying because it use natural solar energy. Several proposals have been suggested for improvement for future study, such as controlling the solar trap air in the container, replacing the trap solar wall with a darker color, examining the floors slope so that more solar traps collected and installing a small hose on the base of the container so that the water evaporated in the solar trap may exit through the route.