Solar energy for greenhouse drying: Performance evaluation of parabolic trough solar collector with two-axis tracking system     
Yazarlar (3)
Mehmet Daş
Fırat Üniversitesi, Türkiye
Oğuzhan Pektezel
Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa Üniversitesi, Türkiye
Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Mithat ŞİMŞEK Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa Üniversitesi, Türkiye
Makale Türü Özgün Makale
Makale Alt Türü SSCI, AHCI, SCI, SCI-Exp dergilerinde yayınlanan tam makale
Dergi Adı Solar Energy
Dergi ISSN 0038-092X Wos Dergi Scopus Dergi
Dergi Tarandığı Indeksler SCI-Expanded
Dergi Grubu Q2
Makale Dili İngilizce
Basım Tarihi 10-2025
Cilt No 299
Sayı 1
Sayfalar 113716 / 0
DOI Numarası 10.1016/j.solener.2025.113716
Makale Linki https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2025.113716
Özet
This study was conducted to develop a solution for the efficient and sustainable use of solar energy in food drying in response to the depletion of fossil fuels, environmental concerns, and increasing energy demand. The motivation is to improve energy efficiency and provide environmentally friendly alternatives in food drying applications. This study experimentally evaluated the performance of a greenhouse dryer equipped with a parabolic trough solar collector (PTSC) with an air-fluidized, dual-axis solar tracking system (STS). The experiments were conducted between June 12 and June 17, 2023, in Tokat, Turkey, located between 39°51′–40°55′ North latitudes and 35°27′–37°39′ East longitudes, between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00p.m. each day. In the apple drying experiments, solar radiation was continuously directed to the collector at an optimum angle with STS, and energy efficiency and exergy efficiency increased by 28.7 % and 36.2 %, respectively. Drying time decreased by 57.2 %, and the product surface temperature reached 76.1 °C. With the effect of STS, solar radiation on the system increased by an average of 18.8 %, and drying efficiency improved by 47.2 %. The study's originality is using air-fluid in the tube system, which is equipped with a dual-axis, fully automatic solar tracking mechanism. In the literature, water-based and single-axis systems have generally been studied. This study introduces an innovation that enhances the efficiency and sustainability of solar energy usage in food drying. It offers a transformative approach to integrating energy systems within agricultural practices, paving the way for a more effective and environmentally friendly future in food drying.
Anahtar Kelimeler
Greenhouse dryer | Heat and mass transfer | Parabolic trough solar collector | Two-axis solar tracking system