Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Combined solar and membrane drying technologies for sustainable fruit preservation in low-income countries – prototype development, modelling, and testing

Bernardo, Ricardo LU orcid ; Davidsson, Henrik LU ; Samuelsson, Peter ; Bengtsson, Gustaf ; Döhlen, Viktor ; Olsson, Joakim ; Phinney, Randi LU ; Otte, Pia ; Tivana, Lucas LU and Andersson, Martin LU , et al. (2021) In Solar Energy Advances 1.
Abstract

This investigation consisted of developing and evaluating solar dryers together with semi-permeable membrane pouches for drying juicy fruits in low-income tropical countries. Two design iterations were carried out including prototype modelling and testing. The latest developed solar dryers were a passive and an active solar dryer. Modelling was initially carried out mathematically using an equation solver software followed by computational fluid dynamics. Preliminary measurements were carried out on a small-scale solar dryer. Thereafter, full-scale models were developed and tested, both in laboratory and in real conditions in Mozambique. Results from modelling were validated against measurements in laboratory in Sweden and field trials... (More)

This investigation consisted of developing and evaluating solar dryers together with semi-permeable membrane pouches for drying juicy fruits in low-income tropical countries. Two design iterations were carried out including prototype modelling and testing. The latest developed solar dryers were a passive and an active solar dryer. Modelling was initially carried out mathematically using an equation solver software followed by computational fluid dynamics. Preliminary measurements were carried out on a small-scale solar dryer. Thereafter, full-scale models were developed and tested, both in laboratory and in real conditions in Mozambique. Results from modelling were validated against measurements in laboratory in Sweden and field trials in Mozambique. Prototype building and testing in Mozambique was undertaken in collaboration with local farmers and a university. Measurement results show that the dryers help to prevent microbial growth through increased temperatures. The drying flux was increased by 50% for the passive, and by 100% for the active solar dryers compared to the ambient controls that did not use a solar dryer. The total drying time was below four days for all pouches in the dryers. The active solar dryer was shown to have the shortest drying time and the highest capacity (more pouches) but also the highest costs. Mould growth and juice fermentation were observed on control pouches drying in open air. These problems were solved with the use of solar dryer technology. However, some challenges with the membrane pouches require further development including degradation of the membrane when exposed to direct sunlight.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and , et al. (More)
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and (Less)
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Fruit preservation, Low-income countries, Membrane drying, Solar drying
in
Solar Energy Advances
volume
1
article number
100006
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85166792101
ISSN
2667-1131
DOI
10.1016/j.seja.2021.100006
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © 2021
id
47eba6d1-b0c5-4940-919b-4d3301b02dc9
date added to LUP
2023-09-28 10:30:17
date last changed
2023-10-12 15:10:27
@article{47eba6d1-b0c5-4940-919b-4d3301b02dc9,
  abstract     = {{<p>This investigation consisted of developing and evaluating solar dryers together with semi-permeable membrane pouches for drying juicy fruits in low-income tropical countries. Two design iterations were carried out including prototype modelling and testing. The latest developed solar dryers were a passive and an active solar dryer. Modelling was initially carried out mathematically using an equation solver software followed by computational fluid dynamics. Preliminary measurements were carried out on a small-scale solar dryer. Thereafter, full-scale models were developed and tested, both in laboratory and in real conditions in Mozambique. Results from modelling were validated against measurements in laboratory in Sweden and field trials in Mozambique. Prototype building and testing in Mozambique was undertaken in collaboration with local farmers and a university. Measurement results show that the dryers help to prevent microbial growth through increased temperatures. The drying flux was increased by 50% for the passive, and by 100% for the active solar dryers compared to the ambient controls that did not use a solar dryer. The total drying time was below four days for all pouches in the dryers. The active solar dryer was shown to have the shortest drying time and the highest capacity (more pouches) but also the highest costs. Mould growth and juice fermentation were observed on control pouches drying in open air. These problems were solved with the use of solar dryer technology. However, some challenges with the membrane pouches require further development including degradation of the membrane when exposed to direct sunlight.</p>}},
  author       = {{Bernardo, Ricardo and Davidsson, Henrik and Samuelsson, Peter and Bengtsson, Gustaf and Döhlen, Viktor and Olsson, Joakim and Phinney, Randi and Otte, Pia and Tivana, Lucas and Andersson, Martin and Rayner, Marilyn}},
  issn         = {{2667-1131}},
  keywords     = {{Fruit preservation; Low-income countries; Membrane drying; Solar drying}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Solar Energy Advances}},
  title        = {{Combined solar and membrane drying technologies for sustainable fruit preservation in low-income countries – prototype development, modelling, and testing}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.seja.2021.100006}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.seja.2021.100006}},
  volume       = {{1}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}