The objective of this study is to investigate the thermal performance of a flat plate solar collector and solar dryer experimentally. The expressions for efficiency of solar collector andsolar dryer with phase change material (PCM) storage system in quasi-steady state conditions have been derived. The analysis is based on the basic energy balance forthe system. A computer model has been developed to predict the various performance parameters of the solar drying system. Experimental validation of the thermal model has been carried out by using theoretical model. Optimum values of collector efficiency and dryer efficiency have been computed using genetic algorithm. A comparative analysis of experimental, theoretical and optimum value of collector and dryer efficiency has been done. Experiments were performed between June 2013 and March 2014 for several days and observations taken on 24/03/2014 have been taken for evaluating the collector and dryer performance experimentally. A fair agreement has been observed between theoretical, experimental and optimum results of collector and dryer efficiency. Keywords: Indirect solar drying, PCM drying, collector efficiency, dryer efficiencyCite this Article Srivastava AK, Shukla SK, Singh UK. Thermal performance analysis of flat plate solar collector and solar dryer of indirect solar drying system. Journal of Thermal Engineering and Applications. 2015; 2(3): 21–31p.
