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Solar energy

Innovative Solar Rotary Dryer Assisted with Phase Change Materials Enhances Agricultural Applications

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

A team of researchers at the University of Kurdistan has introduced a new solar rotary dryer assisted with phase change materials (PCM) and air recycling mechanism with desiccant materials. The study aimed to optimize the drying process by considering the uniformity of airflow distribution in the heat and mass transfer zone. The research was supported by the University of Kurdistan and has been peer-reviewed.

Key Takeaways:

  • The researchers developed an innovative solar rotary dryer assisted with PCM and air recycling mechanism with desiccant materials to enhance agricultural applications.
  • The aim of the study was to find the optimal conditions for the parameters during the drying process, considering the uniformity of airflow distribution in the heat and mass transfer zone.
  • The study conducted a life cycle assessment using ReCipe-2016 to investigate and quantify the effect of different environmental parameters and materials during the drying process of grape samples.
  • The results showed that the proposed fuzzy model can predict the performance of the proposed dryer with higher accuracy (RMSE 0.9).
  • The LCA impact findings showed that the use of PCM leads to a reduction in environmental pollutant emissions of at least 9.7% and at least 21.25% relative to the system that uses electrical energy to feed the rotary dryer.
  • The study concluded that the proposed system can be used as a sustainable and scalable solution for agricultural applications.
  • The research involved three levels of airflow rate (2.5, 3.5, and 4.5 m/s) and drum rotational speed (0.1, 0.3, and 0.5 rpm) for the test.
  • The study used an adaptive neuro-fuzzy model to model the relationships between the input and output variables of the system and obtain the optimal conditions.

Statistics:

  • The proposed fuzzy model predicted the performance of the proposed dryer with 0.9 RMSE accuracy.
  • The life cycle assessment found a reduction in environmental pollutant emissions of at least 9.7% with the use of PCM.
  • The LCA impact findings showed a reduction in environmental pollutant emissions of at least 21.25% with the use of PCM relative to the system that uses electrical energy.
  • The study used ReCipe-2016 for the life cycle assessment.

Sources:

  • NewsRx LLC. Researchers from University of Kurdistan Report Findings in Phase Change Materials (Performance and LCA Evaluation and of a New Designed Solar Powered Rotary Dryer With Phase Change Material and Desiccant System). Mathematics Week. November 4, 2025; p 1976.
  • Performance and LCA Evaluation and of a New Designed Solar Powered Rotary Dryer With Phase Change Material and Desiccant System. Solar Energy, 2025;300.

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