Design, Fabrication and Performance Analysis of a Mixed Mode Solar Dryer for Black Soldier Fly Larvae

The use of black soldier fly (BSF) for organic waste conversion and as an alternative source of animal feeds is sustainable and gaining momentum. The flies are easy to rear and the larvae is a rich source of crude protein, fatty acids, amino acids and vitamins that are important components in poultry, pig and fish feed. Prior to processing, the larvae must be dried up. This research is focused on the design, fabrication and performance analysis of a mixed mode solar dryer for black soldier fly (BSF) larvae. The mixed mode solar dyer constitutes two main parts: solar collector, and drying chamber with three trays was fabricate for the purpose and used. A sample containing 750g of BSF larvae were immobilized and dried to a constant mass of 302 g on the dryer. The maximum drying temperature attained during the drying process was 61oC, which corresponds to the highest intensity of solar radiation (833W/𝑚ଶ ) recorded at the experiment site 12.00 noon. The highest efficiency of the solar collector was 57.58% at 12.00 pm while the lowest collector efficiency was 33.9 % at 9:00 am