Improving solar drying efficiency of Pine wood with compound parabolic concentrator: Comparative study in Continental and Mediterranean climates

Abstract

Wood drying is crucial in several sectors, exhibiting a considerable influence on the overall quality and sustainability of wood products. Solar dryer using compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) provides a sustainable solution to this challenge. This study offers a thorough examination of an indirect solar Pine wood dryer under two distinct climates using TRNSYS and MATLAB software. The wood moisture content was reduced from 50% to 10% in the Continental and Mediterranean climates.

The outcomes revealed that the drying time in Continental and Mediterranean climates was found to be 129 and 168 h, respectively. Remarkably, an amount of 1.45 kg of water vapor was eliminated from each wood layer throughout the drying process. Moreover, the study uncovered disparities in energy consumption, with region characterized by Mediterranean climate demonstrating greater energy consumption in comparison to that with Continental climate. Significantly, the implementation of the compound parabolic concentrator led to a substantial reduction in the drying duration, resulting in a time-saving of approximately 34% specifically in the Continental climate. In addition, the study calculated the yearly potential for reducing ${\text{CO}}_2$ emissions, with an avoidance of 17.764 ${\text{tonnesCO}}_2$ in Continental climate and 1.45 ${\text{tonnesCO}}_2$ in Mediterranean climate. Furthermore, this research seeks to improve the drying process under Mediterranean climate in order to increase effectiveness and decrease the duration of drying. Therefore, the results highlight the effectiveness and ecological advantages of using compound parabolic concentrator technology in solar dryers, with implications for sustainable resource management and attempts to mitigate climate change.