Burkina Faso has plenty of sunshine for most of the year, and it is interesting to carry out solar drying in order to preserve the active ingredients of the harvested products. The drying temperature remains an essential parameter for the quality of the product to be dried. The work presented is part of an experimental study on the temperature regulation of an indirect air solar collector, the objective of which is to control the temperature within the drying chamber. The tests were carried without load in the drying chamber in natural convection and then in forced convection with a temperature regulation system for one and two collectors. The results of the experiments carried out with one or two collectors show that the temperature regulation system within the drying chamber is suitable for a temperature set point at 50 °C with an average solar power of around 1000 W/m2. For a calibration of 40 °C, the system is only suitable for temperature ranges between 40 at 55 °C during a period of 5 hours recorded between 10 AM to 3 PM. The system is not suitable for a preset temperature of 30 °C, also for all temperatures below ambient temperature.

Temperature Regulation, Solar Dryer, Radiation, Instrumentation