Development and preliminary performance evaluation of a multi-source powered drying oven

For both rural and urban utilization as deemed fit, a multi-source powered oven dryer for drying of perishable foods and agricultural products was developed in this study. Three different heat sources are incorporated into this design. The heat generation sources are electricity, charcoal and gas. The heating element, the charcoal compartment, and the gas compartment are manually interchangeable for maximum utilization. The capacity of the chamber is 900 cm² with three sets of trays for drying food. The oven was lagged using fiber glass to ensure good insulation and prevent high energy loss due to heat conduction. During testing, the chamber temperature of 103°C, 105°C, and 120°C were reached for electricity, charcoal and gas, respectively; when drying the cassava chaff at different masses (15, 30, and 45 g). The results revealed that the time of drying increases, the weight loss increases and the moisture content inherent in the cassava chaff reduces. However, the gas heat source gave a fast drying as a result of the high heat generated compared to other sources. This design is preliminary tested to work satisfactorily using the three different heat sources. Further test would be carried out on other agricultural products and the drying process would be optimized. The drying kinetics of the products would also be studied. This design is fit for purpose as either of the sources of heat can be used with respect to availability, it is significant as it can be employed in both the urban and in rural areas.