DEVELOPMENT AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF AN ON-FARM FORCED CONVECTION SOLAR DRYER FOR TOMATO
DEVELOPMENT AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF AN ON-FARM FORCED CONVECTION SOLAR DRYER FOR TOMATO
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Date
2007-01
Authors
ABDULLAHI, AMINU FAGGE
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Abstract
An on-farm research to evaluate the performance of a forced convection tomato solar
dryer at Kwanar Gafan tomato market in Kano State was conducted.
The dryer was built using mud blocks, white transparent polythene as dryer top cover
and the drying trays made from traditional straw mat (Asabari).
The dryer with a capacity of 400kg (10 baskets) of fresh tomatoes was tested under 3
different drying methods (Forced convection, Natural convection closed chamber and
Natural convection open chamber).
The results show that tomato was dried in 2 days and 4 days for Eke’s and Local slice
respectively as against 4 days and 8 days in open-sun drying.
Fifty percent saving in drying time was achieved for 2 different tomato slice types (Local
and Eke’s slice) under the forced convection solar dryer when compared with the
traditional open sun dryer.
The drying rate of tomato under the forced convection solar dryer was significant
(P≤0.05) from the other drying methods. There was also a significant variation
(P≤0.05) in drying tomatoes within the drying chamber of the forced convection solar
dryer for both local and Eke’s tomato slice type.
The system drying efficiency of the forced convection solar dryer was 31%, which was
higher than the other drying methods.
The organoleptic quality test of the dried tomato samples showed that samples in the
forced convection solar dryer retained their attractive red colour similar to fresh tomato
indicating no mould growth and tasted more like fresh tomatoes.
While samples of tomato dried under natural convection dryers show signed of mould
growth and the colour changes to black.
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA
NIGERIA
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT FOR THE AWARD
OF DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN
AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA
NIGERIA
JANUARY, 2007
Keywords
DEVELOPMENT,, PERFORMANCE,, EVALUATION,, FARM FORCED,, CONVECTION,, SOLAR DRYER,, TOMATO