Bee Bread Drying Process Intensification in Combs Using Solar Energy
Toibazar D. Urmashev B. Tursynzhanova A. Nekrashevich V. Daurenova I. Niyazbayev A. Khazimov K. Pegna F. Khazimov M.
May 2025Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)
Energies
2025#18Issue 9
This study presents the development and evaluation of a stand-alone solar dryer designed to improve the efficiency of bee bread dehydration. Unlike the electric prototype powered by conventional energy sources, the proposed system operates autonomously, utilizing solar energy as the primary drying agent. The drying chamber is equipped with solar collectors located in its lower section, which ensure convective heating of the product. Active convection is generated by a set of fans powered by photovoltaic panels, maintaining the drying agent’s temperature near 42 °C. The research methodology integrates both numerical simulation and experimental investigation. Simulations focus on the variations in temperature (288–315 K) and relative humidity (1–1.5%) within the honeycomb structure under convective airflow. Experimental trials examine the relationship between moisture content and variables such as bee bread mass, airflow rate, number of frames (5–11 units), and drying time (2–11 h). A statistically grounded analysis based on an experimental design method was conducted, revealing a reduction in moisture content from 16.2–18.26% to 14.1–15.1% under optimized conditions. Linear regression models were derived to describe these dependencies. A comparative assessment using enthalpy–humidity (I–d) diagrams demonstrated the enhanced drying performance of the solar dryer, which is attributed to its cyclic operation mode. The results confirm the potential of the developed system for sustainable and energy-efficient drying of bee bread in decentralized conditions.
bee bread , bee products , energy , solar dryer , solar energy , temperature
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Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Kazakh National Agrarian Research University, Almaty, 050000, Kazakhstan
Institute of Energy and Green Technologies, Almaty University of Power Engineering and Telecommunications Named After Gumarbek Daukeyev, Almaty, 050000, Kazakhstan
Faculty of Information Technology, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, 050000, Kazakhstan
School of Applied Mathematics, Kazakh-British Technical University, Almaty, 050000, Kazakhstan
Engineering Faculty, Ryazan State Agrotechnological University Named After P.A. Kostychev, Ryazan, 390000, Russian Federation
Department of Information Systems, SDU University, Kaskelen, 040900, Kazakhstan
Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry, University of Florence, Florence, 50100, Italy
Faculty of Engineering and Technology
Institute of Energy and Green Technologies
Faculty of Information Technology
School of Applied Mathematics
Engineering Faculty
Department of Information Systems
Department of Agriculture
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