Fuzzy modeling of a hybrid solar dryer: Experimental validation

Abstract

A Takagi Sugeno fuzzy (TSF) modeling of an indirect hybrid solar-electrical dryer operated inforced convection (0.027 kg/s) was developed. The hybrid dryer was considered as a nonlinearand uncertain system where the operating point varies with weather conditions and airflow. Theproposed TSF model was used to predict the drying temperature in no load conditions. Differentexperimental measurements were set up and used for evaluating the reliability of this model. Atfirst and before applying this method to hybrid solar-electrical dryer, the TSF modeling was testedon solar mode and electrical mode where only one energy source was considered in each mode.The proposed model was experimentally validated in two main modes of the dryer operation:solar mode and electrical mode. The predicted behavior was closed to the experimental data withRoot Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 2.34 and 2.21 in solar mode and electrical mode,respectively. The obtained predicted behavior confirms the pertinence of the identified model.The TSF model of the dryer leads to predict the drying temperature instantly with a huge reductionin simulation time in comparison with other modeling techniques. Thus, it is useful forsynthesizing a control system of the drying parameters.