Determination of a certain number of drying parameters of a solar dryer equipped with a concrete storage system

The conservation of agricultural products constitutes a problem for Burkinabè farmers in particular. They use more preservation methods including solar drying. However, the majority place their products on plastic films, mats, even on the ground under solar radiation and exposed to insects, animals, wind or dust. In order to improve drying and hygiene conditions, several solar dryers have been invented but do not have a storage system that can continue drying after sunset. It is in this sense of solving this problem that we set out to design a solar dryer with energy storage. The experimental tests made it possible to observe a difference of 8°C and 13°C at 6 p.m. between the temperature of the concrete (our storage system) and respectively the ambient temperature and that at the outlet of the solar collector. In addition, the overall efficiency of the solar collector is between 5% and 20% depending on the irradiation. The quantity of water lost by the okra in each rack during drying is between 1347g and 1352g for an initial mass of 1500g.