Kajian Pengering Surya Efek Rumah Kaca (ERK)-Hybrid Dengan Rak Berputar Secara Vertikal Untuk Pengeringan Kapulaga Lokal (Amomum cardamomum Willd)

Abstract

Keseragaman kadar air pada proses pengeringan berbagai produk termasuk produk pertanian biasanya sulit dicapai tanpa adanya proses pengadukan. Akan tetapi tidak semua jenis produk pertanian dapat dilakukan proses pengadukan selama pengeringan berlangsung. Untuk itu diperlukan bentuk modifikasi lain, antara lain dengan rancangan rak pengering yang dapat diputar kearah vertikal. Sebuah model pengering ERK-Hybrid dengan rak berputar secara vertikal telah berhasil dirancang melalui proyek hibah bersaing Direktorat Pendidikan Tinggi, Departemen Pendidikan Nasional, Surat Perjanjian Pelaksanaan Desentralisasi Penelitian No. 318/SP2H1PP2M12008, tanggal 5 Maret 2008. Efektifitas penggunaan pengering tersebut untuk mengeringkan kapulaga lokal (amomum cardamomum Willd) belum dilakukan. Oleh karenanya diperlukan penelitian tentang hal tersebut.

Uniformity of moisture content is generally difficult to be reached without mixing the product during its drying process, but some products couldn't mixed (as conventional dryer use to be) due to their specific physical characteristic. A dryer with rotated rack is needed for this purpose. A study on performance of hybrid greenhouse effect (GHE) solar dryer with vertical rotating rack for local cardamom (Amomum cardamomum Willd) drying has been conducted in Darmaga IPB Campus, Bogor, West Java. The objectives of this research were to evaluate the performance of the dryer, to formulate mathematical model for predicting temperature, relative humidity, and the decreased of cardamom moisture content during drying as well as to validate the model developed with the experimental data, and to perform simulation at various condition. A weight of 10 kg sample for each experiment has been used for obtaining the parameters, such as temperature, humidity and moisture content during drying process. In this study, four rack positions were investigated as experimental set up, which are as follows: (1) without rotating and shifting rack position; (2) rack position was turned around and shifted 180°; (3) rack position was turned around and shifted 90° and; (4) rack position was turned around and shifted 45°. Measurement of those parameters was done in every 60 minutes; whereas within the interval, the rack was rotated for 20 minutes (minute 0 - 10 and minute 50 - 60) and shifted in the minute of 60. Torque and energy consumption for rotating the rack were also measured.