Techno-economic Analysis of a Mixed Solar Dryer with Forced Convection: Profitability Study and Financial Feasibility

The development of cost-effective solar dryers remains a key objective for solar energy researchers. This paper presents an in-depth economic analysis of a mixed forced convection solar dryer, focusing on return on investment (ROI) and the overall financial feasibility of the project. By considering indicators such as ROI and evaluating operating costs over several years, the study emphasizes the importance of incorporating factors like energy costs, dry product selling prices, and fresh product purchasing costs into the decision-making process. Energy analysis tools such as RETScreen are employed to demonstrate the value of preliminary feasibility assessments and to quantify the impact of solar energy utilization on project profitability. One of the primary advantages of the mixed forced convection method is its ability to combine efficient heat transfer with reduced energy consumption, making it a highly cost-effective and environmentally sustainable solution for agricultural drying. The results confirm the financial viability of the mixed forced convection solar dryer. On an annual basis, the key financial parameters include an initial investment cost of €۶۴۰.۳۴, operating costs of €۱,۴۶۸.۷۳, and revenue from sales totaling €۱,۷۷۲.۷۱. Evaluated over a useful life of eight years, these figures indicate that the dryer generates sufficient income to cover both its initial and operational expenses while maintaining profitability. With an estimated payback period of ۲ years and ۳ months and a positive net present value, the findings validate the economic attractiveness of the project and affirm its financial success. This research offers a novel integration of economic evaluation and RETScreen energy modeling for small-scale solar drying applications, providing a practical and replicable framework for future solar energy initiatives in the agricultural sector.

Keywords:

Solar dryer , Techno-economic analysis , energy analysis , Financial feasibility , mixed forced convection