Experimental Investigation and CFD Simulation of the Thermal Performance of an direct Solar Fish Dryer Integrated with Phase Change Material for Salted Fish Drying

Abstract

Solar drying is a sustainable preservation technology for fish products; however, its performance is limited by fluctuations in solar radiation, resulting in unstable drying temperatures and inconsistent product quality. This study experimentally investigated the thermal performance of an direct trapezoidal solar fish dryer integrated with paraffin-based Phase Change Material (PCM) and CFD simulation for drying salted ikan sepat (Trichopodus trichopterus). Comparative experiments were conducted on dryers with and without PCM (WOPCM) under natural outdoor conditions. Chamber temperatures were monitored using sixteen temperature sensors, while solar radiation, ambient humidity, airflow velocity, and fish weight were continuously recorded throughout the drying process. The experimental results demonstrated that the PCM-assisted dryer maintained a more stable thermal environment during periods of declining solar radiation because the paraffin wax released the latent heat stored during peak sunshine. Although the maximum chamber temperature of both systems was comparable during peak solar intensity, the PCM-integrated dryer exhibited a slower temperature decay after sunset and prolonged the effective drying period. Continuous weight measurements confirmed progressive moisture removal throughout the drying process, indicating that the stored thermal energy contributed to maintaining drying conditions beyond periods of direct solar heating. These findings demonstrate that integrating PCM into an direct solar fish dryer enhances thermal stability and operational continuity, making it a promising renewable-energy technology for improving the reliability of small-scale salted fish drying.