PV Powered Rubber Sheet Dryer

The conventional scheme of rubber sheet drying possesses the disadvantage of exposing the samples to direct sunlight for more than 7 days and further exposure to heat produced by fuel combustion in a smoke house for more than 5-8 days continuously for complete drying [1]. This process is time consuming and demands the expenditure of excess man-power and physical endeavor. This scheme also lacks appropriateness in application at monsoon season due to unavailability of direct sunlight. The conventional scheme possesses the disadvantage of the occurrence of pollution, deforestation and various health hazards to the worker. In addition, the economic losses due to the consumption of fuel such as wood leads to economic losses. Also the lack of standard temperature required for the drying of rubber is another barrier in the application of this method. This paper presents the development of an alternative to replace the existing smoke house. The method incorporates the circulation of air at constant temperature and a mechanism to maintain the temperature inside a closed structure for drying the rubber sheets. The proposed system is integrated with renewable energy sources to be used as a power source for heating. The developed system offers the convenience in maintaining a uniform temperature for drying the rubber sheets. A temperature sensor integrated with the system aids in monitoring the temperature inside the chamber in a continuous manner.