Novel, low cost CaCl2 based desiccants for solar crop drying applications

T.F.n Thoruwa, C.m Johnstone, A.d Grant and J.e Smith

Renewable Energy, 2000, vol. 19, issue 4, 513-520

Abstract: Drying with solar-heated air is satisfactory so long as the sun is shining. To continue this process through the night-time and periods of cloud cover, it is necessary to either store some of this energy in a thermal mass or incorporate desiccants within the drying system. This paper reports the results from studies undertaken to develop three low cost, solar regenerative clay–CaCl2 based solid desiccant materials; establish their moisture sorption and regeneration characteristics; assess their performance when compared with commercial desiccants; and integrate these within a low cost solar drying system for small-scale village-based crop drying. The moisture sorption and desorption performance of the desiccants were characterised in a Fison Environmental Cabinet at conditions of 85% (RH) and 25°C for 120 h for moisture sorption and 50°C and 20% (RH) for 8 h for regeneration. These conditions were representative of the environmental conditions monitored in the solar drying system. The bentonite–CaCl2 (type 1) desiccant gave a maximum moisture sorption of 45% dry weight basis (dwb) while bentonite–CaCl2 (type 2) and kaolinite–CaCl2 (type 3) solid desiccants each gave moisture sorption values of 30% (dwb). It was concluded from the moisture sorption and regeneration characteristics that their application in solar crop drying and air dehumidification is highly useful due to their low regeneration temperatures, sub 100°C.

Keywords: Kaolinite–CaCl2 desiccant; Bentonite–CaCl2 desiccant; Moisture sorption; Regeneration; Solar crop drying (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2000
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (14)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:renene:v:19:y:2000:i:4:p:513-520

DOI: 10.1016/S0960-1481(99)00072-5

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