Performance of Phase Change Materials in Parabolic Solar Coffee Drying: A Chemometric Approach
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25186/.v21i.2467Abstract
The integration of phase change materials (PCMs) into solar drying systems has been shown to improve drying efficiency, temperature stability, and product quality. This study investigates the performance of PCMs incorporated into a parabolic solar dryer to enhance thermal efficiency and overall drying performance. Two types of PCMs, paraffin (PRF) and used cooking oil (UCO), were compared to assess their effects on drying tunnel temperature and moisture content of cherry coffee. Experimental data were analyzed using descriptive statistical methods with GraphPad Prism 10, while principal component analysis (PCA) was conducted using RStudio version 2025 to identify key variables influencing the system’s thermal and drying characteristics. The results showed that the used cooking oil-based PCM produced higher and more stable temperatures and resulted in the lowest final moisture content, while the paraffin-based PCM provided better drying tunnel temperatures than the system without PCM (CLL.TEM). Furthermore, principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that the used cooking oil PCM had the most dominant effect on increasing the drying chamber temperature and accelerating moisture reduction compared to systems using paraffin PCM or without PCM. Future studies should focus on a more comprehensive evaluation of the system’s performance in coffee cherry drying, including color change analysis, thermal efficiency, drying rate, and exergetic performance.
Key words: Parabolic solar dryer; PCM; PCA; used cooking oil (UCO); paraffin (PRF).
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