Para-Rubber Sheet Drying with the Combined Sources of Solar Energy and Solar Pond
Abstract
The objectives of this research was to study the efficiency of two para - rubber sheet drying methods; solar drying and solar drying combine solar pond. The solar energy house of 1.8 x 2 x 3 m3 with the capacity of 100 sheets was constructed in Amphoe Mueang Khon Kaen district,Khon Kaen province Thailand, in conjunction with the solar pond which was 8 meters in diameter and 2.5 meters in depth. In order to evaluate energy using aspect, the energy using studies were divided to 2 systems. System I was only solar drying. System II was using solar drying at day time and solar pond at night time. The initial humidity of para-rubber sheet was about 29 - 33% respectively. The experimental results showed that the temperature distribution in the solar energy house was uniform. The night time average inside temperature solar energy house was higher than that outside 3°C, 10°C for system I, II respectively. The solar energy house was that system I required the longest time 120 hours while system II required the shortest time 84 hours. Moreover, it was found that, the humidity of para-rubber sheet range was about 0.5 – 1.25% after drying.
Keywords
Solar energy, parabolic dish, thermoelectric