Assessment of meat drying in hot humid climates using convection-type solar dryers and investigation of practicable meat drying parameters

Abstract

Two types of natural convection closed-type solar dryers (viz-tent and cabinet) were constructed using local materials for comparative studies on drying of meat strips in the hot-humid West African Zone (ie. Accra-Ghana). Results of preliminary investigations on environmental parameters monitored on the empty solar dryers indicated a significantly higher (P< o. 05) temperature elevation in the mid-point of the cabinet dryer chamber than with the tent dryer. The inclusion of stone slabs painted glossy black on the drying chamber floors of the solar dryers did not significantly (P>0.05) increase temperature elevation in the drying chambers but the tent solar dryer showed a better ability to retain heat more than when without black stone slabs. Air-flow rate within solar dryer chambers were negligible indicating poor air circulation within natural convection-type solar dryers. Solar intensity variation corresponded well with mid-point temperature variation within solar dryer chambers over the period monitored. The tent solar dryer was simple- easy to construct and with strong structural stability. The cabinet solar dryer on the other hand was more difficult to construct and structurally weak. The cabinet solar dryer was however 1.2 times cheaper to construct than the tent solar dryer