Date of Publication :17th January 2023

Abstract: The present investigation was oriented toward establishing the foundations for the design of a conductive rotating drum- type solar grain dryer for the fulfillment of the proposed objective. Among the principal findings, it was clear that the design parameters for a conductive rotating drum-type solar grain drier could be established thanks to the theoretical and methodological underpinnings that were suggested. Green peas and recently harvested maize were used to test the system. The results obtained indicate that 128 kg of grains could be successfully dried utilizing conductive spinning in the presence of favorable weather. A cylindrical drum of 1.125 meters in length and 0.330 meters in diameter rotate at a speed of 10 revolutions per minute (rpm) in this setup. The main goal of this design is to improve grain mass, increase surface exposure, and even dry the grain as a result of the drum's rotation. Within the dryer's drying cabinet, an average drying temperature of 53.4°C was noted. The average temperature differential between the interior of the drum cabinet and the surrounding air was 15.2 oC, which proved adequate to dry maize and green peas grain efficiently for high-quality grain. The proposed drying system is functional as evidenced by the total thermal energy to be created inside it, which is 7.42 KWhr per day at a drying rate of 2.075 kg/hr with moisture removed 83% from maize grains and 2.12 kg/hr with moisture removed 85% from green peas, respectively. The current study demonstrates that even low-cost solar drying devices can be highly effective at producing the necessary amounts of heat needed to dry grain. The suggested design comes in at 35000/-Rs, which is the lowest cost of comparable facilities for the drying application available in the market.

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