Hot red pepper drying with a solar greenhouse dryer

Pepper, a globally essential ingredient, holds significant demand in the international food industry due to its role as a vital source of vitamins, minerals, and energy in the human diet. Despite its importance, efficient and cost-effective methods for drying agricultural products like pepper remain a challenge. Addressing this gap, this study investigates the efficiency and profitability of utilizing a solar greenhouse for drying hot red peppers. A 300 kg capacity greenhouse dryer was designed and constructed at the Unit Solar Energy Equipment Development (UDES) in Bou Ismail, Algeria. Drying experiments were conducted in June 2020, with hourly measurements of key parameters such as ambient air temperature, humidity, and greenhouse air temperature. These data were analyzed to assess the heat and mass transfer characteristics of the system. The findings provide valuable insights into optimizing greenhouse drying technology, offering potential economic and environmental benefits for sustainable agricultural practices. Keywords: Drying; greenhouse dryer; greenhouse air temperature; hot red pepper; renewable energy source; solar energy.