Heat Transfer Analysis of Solar Fish Drying Machine on the Effects of Fish Mass and Blower Speed Variations

Abstract

Traditional fish drying process still has not met the norm of food safety and health terms in accordance with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). Therefore, it is necessary to design the technology of fish drying process efficiently for healthier food. This study carried out with the experimental and the simulation methods. The experimental study shows that the final moisture content of the fish is below 10% for 6 hours drying (from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.) using solar fish drying machine. The simulation using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) conducted to gain deeper information of heat transfer phenomena. Steady state condition that utilizes momentum calculation, energy, continuity, and the radiation equation of S2S (Surface to Surface) modeled with the variation of mass of 2 kg and 5 kg. It found that 6 hours of irradiation for 5 kg of fish was not able to reach 10% moisture content. However, the 2 kg fish can achieve the expected moisture content with the efficiency of drying reaches 19% with a blower speed of 1500 RPM. The variations of 1500-1850 RPM blower show linear correlation to the efficiency of the solar drying machine. While, the highest efficiency was reached 23% and occurred at 1850 RPM of blower speed.