Studi Eksperimental Alat Pengering Cabai Tenaga Surya Kolektor Plat Datar dengan Sistem Tertutup dan Menggunakan Desikan Cair Cacl2 50% dengan Kapasitas 2kg

Abstract

Drying chili peppers using solar energy is the most commonly used drying method. The drying temperature for this conventional method typically ranges from 32°C to 38°C, and the drying time ranges from 8 to 10 days until the moisture content reaches 10%. By applying the principles of heat transfer, insulation, and maintaining air humidity, an efficient and hygienic chili drying device can be designed to prevent chili spoilage during excessive harvests while maintaining the quality of the chili. This drying machine uses a flat-plate solar collector with a closed-loop system and a DC fan operating at 2 m/s to forcefully transfer heat from the collector to the drying chamber. The drying machine incorporates CaCl₂ to absorb moisture within the drying chamber. In this study, the chili pepper masses used were 1858.18 g, 1869.83 g, and 1829.68 g. After the study was completed, the time required to dry the red chili peppers was 57 hours, 51 hours, and 50 hours. Meanwhile, the efficiency of the solar collector in this study was 66.80%, 66.52%, and 66.71%.