TITLE:
Indirect Solar Drying of Bananas: Correlation between Experimental Data and Drying Kinetics Models
AUTHORS:
Waly Faye, Mamadou Lamine Coly, Mamadou Seck Gueye, Bou Counta Mbaye, Omar Ngor Thiam, Mamadou Lamine Sow
KEYWORDS:
Drying Solar, Reduced Humidity, Effective Diffusivity, Drying Kinetics
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Applied Sciences,
Vol.16 No.5,
May
26,
2026
ABSTRACT: Bananas are among the most widely consumed fruits in the world, providingcalories and metabolizable vitamins for humans, as well as many other benefits. However, this fruit tends to be easily degraded by microorganisms and other chemical agents due to its high-moisture content. The study seeks to propose a practical and appropriate solution to extend the shelf life of bananas while optimizing the drying process in tropical conditions, with a focus on the accuracy of prediction models and the efficiency of solar dryers. Banana samples are dried experimentally to compare indirect solar drying with open-air drying. The experimental curves representing the reduced moisture content as a function of drying time are approximated using empirical or semi-empirical models taken from the literature. Criteria for models election were defined, and the Page and Two-Term models satisfactorily predicted the behavior of the banana samples in the dryer and the banana samples in the open air, respectively. With correlation coefficients of 0.99447, 0.99567, 0.99524, 0.98973, and 0.98962, respectively. The effective diffusivity was determined graphically by approximating the experimental results with the logarithm of the CRANK solution on the diffusive model and the logarithm of the humidity.