Development of Photovoltaic–Thermal Porous Solar Dryer

Authors

  • Eakpoom Boonthum Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ubon Ratchathani University
  • Apinunt Namkhat Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ubon Ratchathani University
  • Adun Janyalertadun Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ubon Ratchathani University
  • Prapanphong Somsila Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture and Technology, Rajamangala University of Technology Isan, Surin Campus
  • Kan Komanee Department of Mechanical Technology, Faculty of Industrial Technology, Nakhon Phanom University
  • Narong Uengkimbuan Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Burapha University
  • Umphisak Teeboonma Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ubon Ratchathani University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14456/jeit.2026.9

Keywords:

Solar Drying, Photovoltaic-Thermal (PVT), Porous Material, Kaffir Lime

Abstract

Drying is a key post-harvest process for preserving agricultural and herbal products. However, under humid tropical conditions, drying remains energy-intensive and limited in performance. This study presents the development and performance evaluation of a photovoltaic–thermal (PVT) solar dryer integrated with porous absorbers to enhance heat and mass transfer. The system consists of a 150 W PVT panel and a solar air collector equipped with porous steel mesh absorbers with porosities of 0.98 and 0.96, together with a non-porous reference configuration. Drying experiments were conducted in Thailand under tropical conditions at an air velocity of 0.1 m/s using kaffir lime leaves. The results show that porous integration increases the effective heat transfer area and thermal energy retention, resulting in a drying rate increase of up to 50% and a reduction in specific energy consumption (SEC) of up to 33.3% compared with the non-porous system. The configuration with a porosity of 0.96 provided the best overall performance. Overall, integrating porous materials into a PVT solar dryer significantly improves drying performance and energy efficiency.

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Published

2026-04-28

How to Cite

[1]
E. Boonthum, “Development of Photovoltaic–Thermal Porous Solar Dryer”, JEIT, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 12–24, Apr. 2026.

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 2 (2026): Journal of Engineering and Industrial Technology, Kalasin University, Vol. 4 No. 2 (March – April 2026)

Section

Research Article

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