Drying Porang (Amorphophallus Oncophyllus) Using Dryer Tray Type With Double Glass Collectors

Abstract

Porang (Amorphophallus oncophyllus) have potential and high economic value to be developed. Porang tubers contain glocumannan (natural fiber and dissolves in water) in the form of flour which can be used as a food source in the form of flour, besides that it can also be used as a cosmetic ingredient, and jelly. Drying is an important process for handling and processing porang. One of the potential drying technologies to be developed is using a double glass solar collector. The use of solar collectors has developed to provide energy, including in obtaining agricultural products. The method used in this study is an experimental method in the laboratory. The dryer that will be used in this study is a dryer tray type using double glass as a collector of solar energy. Drying experiments were carried out on porang tuber slices. An analysis has been carried out on the supply of heat energy and its utilization, as well as an analysis on the performance of double glass solar energy collectors for the extraction of porang tuber slices. The results of this study indicate that the work of double glass solar collectors is able to provide useful energy for 7 hours effectively, amounting to 2890.30 joules and the largest available at 13.00 Central Indonesian Time (WITA) is 5374.96 joules. The average energy for evaporation is 24.67 j/kg, the average temperature to increase the temperature of the product being dried is 3336 kJ, at an average RH condition of 34.29%. With the thermal efficiency of the collector drying system reaching an average of 82.36%, resulting in an average moisture content of 7.48%. Drying using double glass solar collectors which was carried out in this study, was quite effective and efficient until 16.00 WITA.