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Agricultural industry

Smart IoT-Enabled Indirect Solar Dryer Boosts Post-Harvest Sustainability

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Researchers from Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences have developed a smart IoT-enabled indirect solar dryer that significantly enhances post-harvest sustainability in temperate crops. The innovative system automates the drying process, introduces a crop-specific control system, and integrates real-time cloud-based monitoring via IoT, enabling remote supervision and data analytics for temperature and airflow control. Experimental results demonstrate the system's effectiveness in reducing drying time, minimizing contamination risks, and offering higher precision and flexibility.

Key Takeaways:

  • The smart IoT-enabled indirect solar dryer was designed and developed by researchers from Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, with financial support from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University.
  • The system automates the drying process and introduces a crop-specific control system, allowing users to input precise temperature settings based on the type of crop.
  • The system integrates real-time cloud-based monitoring via IoT, enabling remote supervision and data analytics for temperature and airflow control.
  • Experimental results demonstrate the system's effectiveness in achieving an average airflow of 3.0 m/s, an average solar collector temperature of 57 °C, and a stable 45 °C in the drying chamber.
  • The system significantly reduces drying time, minimizes contamination risks, and offers higher precision and flexibility compared to traditional dryers.
  • The advancements contribute to improved scalability, sustainability, and usability in post-harvest management, especially for small and medium-scale farmers.
  • The study presents the design and development of a smart IoT-enabled indirect solar dryer that not only automates the drying process but also introduces a crop-specific control system.
  • The system's effectiveness is demonstrated through experimental results, which show the system's potential to enhance post-harvest sustainability in temperate crops.

Statistics:

  • Average airflow achieved by the system: 3.0 m/s
  • Average solar collector temperature achieved by the system: 57 °C
  • Stable temperature achieved in the drying chamber: 45 °C
  • Drying time reduction achieved by the system: [Not specified]
  • Contamination risk minimization achieved by the system: [Not specified]
  • Precision and flexibility offered by the system: [Not specified]

Sources:

  • Enhancing post-harvest sustainability in temperate crops through smart IoT-integrated indirect solar dryer. Scientific Reports, 2025,15(1):1-15. (Scientific Reports - http://www.nature.com/srep/index.html). The publisher for Scientific Reports is Nature Portfolio.
  • Ecology, Environment & Conservation, September 5, 2025; p 815.

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