Modeling and Optimization of Energy and Exergy Parameters of a Hybrid-Solar Dryer for Basil Leaf Drying Using RSM

Zahra Parhizi, Hamed Karami, Iman Golpour, Mohammad Kaveh, Mariusz Szymanek, Ana M. Blanco-Marigorta, José Daniel Marcos, Esmail Khalife, Stanisław Skowron, Nashwan Adnan Othman and Yousef Darvishi
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Zahra Parhizi: Chemical Engineering Department, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran 15875-4413, Iran
Hamed Karami: Department of Biosystems Engineering, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil 56199-11367, Iran
Iman Golpour: Department of Mechanical Engineering of Biosystems, Urmia University, Urmia 57561-51818, Iran
Mohammad Kaveh: Department of Petroleum Engineering, College of Engineering, Knowledge University, Erbil 44001, Iraq
Mariusz Szymanek: Department of Agricultural, Forest and Transport Machinery, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-612 Lublin, Poland
Ana M. Blanco-Marigorta: Department of Process Engineering, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35017 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
José Daniel Marcos: Department of Energy Engineering, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, UNED, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Esmail Khalife: Department of Civil Engineering, Cihan University-Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Erbil 44001, Iraq
Stanisław Skowron: Department of Strategy and Business Planning, Faculty of Management, Lublin University of Technology, 20-618 Lublin, Poland
Nashwan Adnan Othman: Department of Computer Engineering, College of Engineering, Knowledge University, Erbil 44001, Iraq
Yousef Darvishi: Department of Biosystems Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran 11365-4117, Iran

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 14, 1-27

Abstract: This study deals with the optimization of energetic and exergetic parameters of a hybrid-solar dryer to dry basil leaves under determined experimental conditions at three air temperatures (40 °C, 55 °C, and 70 °C) and three bed thickness levels (2, 4, and 6 cm). The optimization of the thermodynamic parameters was performed using the response surface method (RSM) based on the central composite design (CCD) and the desirability function (DF) to maximize the drying rate, exergy efficiency, improvement potential rate and the sustainability index, and to minimize the energy utilization, energy utilization ratio and exergy loss rate. These parameters were calculated on the basis of the first and second laws of thermodynamics as the response variables. Based on the results obtained, it was determined that the optimal conditions for basil drying were at a drying air temperature of 63.8 °C and a bed thickness of 2 cm. At this point, the parameters of the drying rate, energy utilization, energy utilization ratio, exergy efficiency, exergy loss rate, improvement potential rate and sustainability index were obtained with the maximum utility function (D = 0.548) as 0.27, 0.019 (kJ/s), 0.23, 65.75%, 0.016 (kJ/s), 1.10 (kJ/s) and 0.015, respectively.

Keywords: basil leaves; solar-forced convective dryer; energy and exergy evaluation; RSM; desirability function (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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