DRYING OF TOMATO FRUITS USING SOLAR ENERGY

Abstract

ABSTRACT

The main aims of this work are fabricate simple solar dryer for tomatoes fruits drying, solar dryer and open solar drying were used to dry tomato slices, and study of drying time influences on moisture content losses and weigh of tomatoes slices. Also, to studying various parameters such as relative humidity, temperature and velocity of air on tomatoes drying and compared to solar dryer and open solar dried during tomatoes fruits drying. Tomatoes are sliced to a thickness of about 10, 15 and 25 mm. The sliced crops are arranged in single, twice and third layers on surface of mats and left to dry naturally in the open solar and in solar dryer. Tomatoes dried at a time vary, based on the thickness layers of slices. Obtained results were:

- The weight of all tomato slices were decreased by increasing drying time in opened solar drying and inside fabricated solar dryer. The weight of dried tomato slices was lower under the drying inside fabricated solar dryer than the drying in opened solar drying method.  

- The tomato slices has one layer were lower of the losses weight. While, the tomato slices has three layers were higher of losses weight. The losses weight of all tomato slices were increased by increasing drying time in opened solar drying.  But, the losses weight of dried tomato slices were higher under the drying inside fabricated solar dryer than the drying in opened solar drying method.

- The tomato slices has one layer were higher losses of moisture content. While, the tomato slices has three layers were lower losses of moisture content. The losses of moisture content of all tomato slices were increased by increasing drying time in opened solar drying.  But, the losses of moisture content of dried tomato slices were higher under the drying inside fabricated solar dryer than the drying in opened solar drying method.  

- The tomato slices has three layers were higher of the moisture content. While, the tomato slices has one layer were lower of moisture content. Also, it was noticed that the moisture content of all tomato slices were decreased by increasing drying time in opened solar drying.  But, the moisture content of dried tomato slices were lower under the drying inside fabricated solar dryer than the drying in opened solar drying method.

- The solar dryer appears to be the effective and faster method of drying of tomatoes slices, because the drying time is very less compared with open solar drying. This is due to the solar drying effect inside the solar dryer where the temperature inside the dyer keeps on increasing with decrease in relative humidity inside the dryer.