PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF NATURAL AND FORCED CONVECTION IN SOLAR DRYERS FOR MULLET FISH

Ombak Damai Trading, a Malaysian company specialising in dried mullet fish, needed to dry the fish faster to meet growing demand. They reduced the drying time from 1-2 days to 3-4 hours using a solar dryer. The dryer was equipped with an IoT (Internet of things) weighing system for precise monitoring and data collection. Two inlet fans were added for forced convection drying. Measurements of weight, temperature, and humidity were taken for ten days. The forced convection system was found to be 85.78% effective, compared to 59.36% for natural convection. Moisture analysis revealed that the forced convection system removed more moisture, with a maximum percentage of 36% compared to 22% for natural convection. Forced convection also had a higher drying rate of 60.17 g/hour compared to 37.83 g/hour for natural convection. These findings can help seafood businesses optimise the drying process and achieve target moisture levels. Further studies are recommended to examine the forced convection system's commercial scalability, as well as the effects of drying on nutritional content and sensory qualities.