DESIGN AND EXPERIMENTAL EVALUATION OF A NEW COMMERCIAL-TYPE MOBILE SOLAR GRAIN DRYER PROVIDED WITH HIGH-EFFICIENCY FINED-PLATE COLLECTOR

Design features and experimental functional perforfance evaluation of a new mobile solar grain dryer suitable for commercial applications in the grain-producing areas of the Prairies and other locations in Nort h America are presented. The solar dryer consists of the following mai n parts: (i) cylindrical metal drying bin with top and bottom cones an d aeration facilities, and of capacity up to 90 tonnes of grain, (ii) solar collector mounted on a four-wheel trailer and the collector was provided with specially designed and coated fins attached to the 18 m( 2) absorber plate, and ultra-violet resistant transparent fiberglss to p cover, and (iii) axial-now fan and insulated flexible ducts for forc ed air circulation through the solar collector and drying bin. The dry er was evaluated for solar collector collection efficiency, system dry ing capability, and system drying efficiency.