Comparative Studies of the Drying Efficiency of Cassava and Plantain Chips Using a Solar Dryer

In the present study, we report on the performance of a solar dryer that was fabricated using locally available materials and then characterised by investigating the drying efficiency of cassava and plantain chips. The same materials (cassava and plantain chips) were also subjected to open sun drying (OSD) to serve as control. The results show that the dryer retained ample heat with a maximum temperature of 58 oC when the ambient temperature was 45 oC. The drying efficiency of the plantain and cassava chips (dried using the solar dryer) were obtained to be 53.6% and 67.5% respectively. In the open drying case, the drying efficiency was typically less than 30 %, indicating the improved performance and the effectiveness of using the former compared to the latter.