Paper Title
Thermal Performance Analysis On Hot-Air Drying (Had) For Dual-Pass And Floatovoltaic Dryer In Malaysia

Abstract
Drying process in agricultural post-harvest activities are deemed to be the most energy consuming reaching up to 25% of the total energy projected. The use of solar energy especially Photovoltaic (PV) in drying applications is becoming a significant and practical alternative resources to preserve post-harvest crops. Solar drying under controlled conditions of temperature and moisture (removing rate) ensures desirable drying and product quality. It is widely applied in reducing the moisture content in various agricultural semi-end products namely crop vegetables, herbs, spices, and oil seeds. Hot Air Drying (HAD) is naturally harmless and non-toxic, provides a more uniform, hygienic, and rapid dried product that can have extended life of at least a year. Two types of Solar-PV based HAD machines have been invented i.e Dual-Pass Solar PV Tray Dryer and Floatovoltaic Drying Machine (FDM) for the purpose of drying herbal crops in remote and offshore area. This study shares some field assessments on the thermal comparison of HAD with reference to the surrounding air temperature. This green machine which is fully powered by the natural sun provides means of energy efficiency and cost reduction in post-harvest processes. Index Terms: Dual-Pass, Floatovoltaic, Green Machine, Hot-Air Drying