Integrating a bench scale phosphate flash dryer to a solar heating source: integration challenges and monitoring system development

Aiming to reduce the energetic consumption and greenhouse emissions, integrating the energy-intensive dryer to a solar loop constitutes the optimum solution. This paper investigates the feasibility to integrate a bench scale flash dryer to a solar heating source. Initially, the choice of the best heating source was made and the design was realized. Then, the best configuration of the gas/liquid heat exchanger was selected to design the exchange surface. Finally, the solar flash dryer was mathematically modeled to simulate the dryer performances at various conditions. The parabolic through collectors were selected, with a nominal power of 29kW(th), were coupled to a spiral finned tube exchanger with 24 kW capacity. The integration showed a significant dependency of the drying air temperature on the climatic conditions (DNI and incidence angle). The drying tests, realized at the most favorable and unfavorable conditions, showed an important decrease in the moisture fraction to be eliminated, increasing from 1.8% to 3.5% when the air temperature drops from 155 degrees C to 110 degrees C. It was hence necessary to develop a regulation system to ensure a continuous solid flow rate.