APPLICATION OF SOLAR THERMAL ENERGY FOR DRYING SUGARCANE JUICE

Abstract

The thermal performance of open-hearth pan furnace used traditionally for making jaggery (gur) is very low. Dehydrated bagasse is used as a fuel to generate heat in an oxidization method in an open-hearth furnace. The energy loss due to the disorganized oxidation process, the heat lost through exhaust gases, and other losses due to furnace wall, convection, and radiation bring the thermal efficiency of open earth pan furnaces to a low value. A certain quantity of energy produced in the combustion process is used to heat the sugarcane juice to its evaporation temperature sensibly. Solar collectors can supply the sensible energy required to increase the sugarcane juice temperature to its boiling point temperature, thereby reducing the total amount of heat needed in cooking the jaggery. The solar drier can provide hot air required for the combustion process to burn the bagasse more efficiently. This paper presents analytical calculations to study the performance enhancement of the jaggery-making unit using solar collectors and solar dryers.