Journal of Science and Innovative Development ISSN 2181-4317

SIMULATION OF A SOLAR DRYER USING COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS (CFD)

Usmаnоv Kоmil Isrоilоviсh September 13, 2025 DOI: https://doi.org/10.36522/ILM-FAN/8-5-2025-02769

Abstract

<p>In this scientific article, the processes of heat transfer and airflow&nbsp;in solar dryers were simulated using the Computational Fluid Dynamics&nbsp;<br /> (CFD) method, and the possibilities of effective and high-quality drying of the&nbsp;medicinal plant &mdash; Plantago major (common plantain) &mdash; were investigated.&nbsp;The main purpose of the study was to optimize the solar dryer design,&nbsp;increase the drying rate, and preserve product quality through the use of CFD&nbsp;technologies. Using the ANSYS Fluent software, the internal temperature&nbsp;distribution, airflow velocity, and temperature gradients within the drying&nbsp;chamber were modeled. According to the simulation conditions, the air heated&nbsp;by solar energy was maintained within the temperature range of 55&ndash;65 &deg;C&nbsp;and directed onto the product being dried. The initial moisture content of the&nbsp;plantain leaves was 82%, and after 3.5&ndash;4.5 hours of drying, it decreased to&nbsp;10&ndash;12%. The CFD simulation results demonstrated the following advantages:&nbsp;the airflow was uniformly distributed within the dryer, ensuring equal thermal&nbsp;exposure to all leaves; efficient use of thermal energy led to a reduced drying&nbsp;time; the retention of biologically active compounds (flavonoids, vitamins) in&nbsp;the dried product was ensured; based on CFD analysis, recommendations were&nbsp;developed for improving the internal geometry of the dryer and the design of&nbsp;the air inlet and outlet channels. The simulation results were compared with&nbsp;experimental observations, and a high degree of agreement was recorded. The&nbsp;<br /> CFD-based model significantly improved the dryer&rsquo;s efficiency, enhanced drying&nbsp;quality, and minimized heat losses. This study demonstrates the high potential&nbsp;of CFD-based approaches for the scientific design and practical implementation&nbsp;of solar dryers intended for drying medicinal plants.</p>

Cite this article
Usmаnоv Kоmil Isrоilоviсh (2025). SIMULATION OF A SOLAR DRYER USING COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS (CFD). Journal of Science and Innovative Development. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.36522/ILM-FAN/8-5-2025-02769