Recent Advances in Solar Drying Technologies- A Short Review

The number of previous studies on food and energy consumption is set to mark a significant growth by 2050 worldwide. In southern countries, agricultural and marine food products, such as vegetables, fruits, rice, coffee, nuts and fish require drying in order to be preserved. Drying processes are widespread in agricultural, marine and industrial sectors, from fruits and vegetables to wood and textile production. In this context, solar drying can be one of the keys to solve these issues, as it is sustainable and cheaper than conventional drying methods. In this paper, we review the latest advances in solar drying technologies, special attention is given to solar dryers with thermal energy storage. Furthermore, the environmental aspects and environmental assessment methodologies concerning the use of solar dryers are discussed.