COMBINED SOLAR–FIRED CONVEYOR-CHAIN DRYING INSTALLATION FOR MELON DRYING

The drying industry is one of the most energy-intensive sectors of the food processing industry. The continuous increase in energy consumption in this area, especially for drying high-moisture agricultural products such as grapes, melons, apples, and others, necessitates not only the rational and economical use of traditional fuel resources (gas, coal, oil, electricity, etc.) but also the search for and development of new alternative and renewable energy sources. Among these, solar energy plays an important role in the context of Central Asian countries due to its accessibility and environmental friendliness.