Thermal analysis and performance evaluation of fin arrangement in a drying system: an experimental study on Rumex patientia L.
摘要
In this study, the effect of inline and staggered fin arrangements placed in a pipe-type air channel on the performance of a parabolic trough collector (PTC)-based solar-assisted dryer was experimentally investigated. Drying experiments were conducted using Rumex patientia L. under three irradiance levels (500, 750, and 1000 W m−2) and three air velocities (0.6, 1.2, and 2.4 m s−1). System performance was evaluated in terms of mass loss, thermal efficiency, energy performance index (EPI), coefficient of performance (COP), and specific energy consumption (SEC). The novelty of the study lies in the experimental comparison of inline and staggered fin arrangements in a PTC-assisted drying system while simultaneously evaluating thermal, energetic, and drying performance indicators. The results showed that the difference in COP between the two fin arrangements remained within approximately 5–20%, with the inline configuration generally providing slightly higher COP values. In contrast, the staggered arrangement yielded EPI values up to 193% higher and SEC values up to 64% lower under certain operating conditions. Although both configurations exhibited similar drying behavior, the difference in final sample mass generally remained below 10–15%. Overall, fin arrangement was found to be a key design parameter influencing the energetic and drying performance of PTC-based solar drying systems.