Thermodynamic performance of hot air drying system: Energy and exergy analysis for wet glass containers in honey processing plant

Abstract

Considering environmental challenges and the diminishing share of energy expenses in the final product cost, evaluating energy-intensive systems is crucial. This study examines the drying process of wet glass containers in a honey processing plant using a continuous convection dryer through energy and exergy analyses. Mass, energy, and exergy balances were performed using EES software. The energetic performance indicators revealed a heat loss rate of 3.33 kW, energy efficiency of 20.45%, and specific energy consumption of 11711.25 kJ kg^-1H₂O. Exergetic performance indicators included an exergy destruction rate of 24.05 kW, improvement potential rate of 20.79 kW, total exergy efficiency of 14.14%, exergy efficiency of 11.14%, specific exergy consumption of 2763.92 kJ kg^-1H₂O, and a sustainability index of 1.16. Results indicated that 60.12% of exergy destruction is related to air heating, with exhaust air losing 200.54 kW, equivalent to 89.84% of total input energy, suggesting exhaust air recirculation to reduce losses.

Practical applications

The wet container dryer in a honey processing plant, as the most energy-intensive component, was chosen for thermodynamic analysis. Mass, energy, and exergy balances were conducted to evaluate the system's thermodynamic performance. The exhaust air dryer lost 200.54 kW, equivalent to 89.84% of the total input energy, without utilization. Additionally, the results showed that 60.12% of the total exergy destruction in the convective drying process was related to air heating. Therefore, recirculating the exhaust air from the dryer moves the system toward an ideal thermodynamic state.