Numerical simulation of the thermal behavior of heat storage for an application in the drying of cocoa beans
H Y Andoh, N E Abouanou and P Gbaha
Institut National Polytechnique Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Côte d’Ivoire
: J Electr Eng Electron Technol
Abstract
The results of numerical simulation of thermal behavior of heat storage, sized for drying 13 kg of cocoa beans in phase of stocking and destocking are presented here. For the stocking phase which takes place from 6:00 AM to 4:00 PM, the evolution of the temperature of the stones, versus the time is studied. For the destocking phase which takes place from 4:00 PM to 6:00 AM, the evolution of the temperatures of the stones and that of the working fluid (air) passing through the stones bed (stocking materials) are studied. A particular attention is focused on the evolution of the temperature at which the working fluid exits from the storer. These simulations were carried out in the meteorological conditions of the city of Yamoussoukro in Ivory Coast. The results show that the maximum temperature reached by the stones is 63o C at 15:20 PM for the stocking phase. These results also show that the temperature of the working fluid leaving the storer is 40o C around 6:00 AM. The simulation results show that the quantity of energy stored is sufficient for drying the beans during non-sunlight.
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