Analisis Unjuk Kerja Alat Pengering Pinang Tray Dryer Dengan Bahan Bakar Oli Bekas

Abstract

The drying methods for areca nuts practiced by farmers vary; some spread them out in the yard, while others hang them up like laundry. Most farmers utilize conventional methods that rely on sunlight, requiring more than 24 hours to dry the nuts. This method has a significant drawback: it is highly dependent on weather conditions and the duration of the drying process. This research aims to reduce the drying time and employ technology so that the drying process does not rely on weather. The technology that can assist in this drying process involves designing and creating a drying device for areca nuts, aiming to minimize the time needed to achieve a moisture content level that complies with the Indonesian National Standard (SNI), which is set at 13-14%. In this study, a drying machine for areca nuts was designed using Fusion 360 software along with various research tools and materials. The result of this research is a tray dryer designed with dimensions of 700mm x 700mm, with a capacity of three trays, each capable of handling 5.5 kg, using waste oil as fuel. Based on the performance results of the areca nut drying machine, optimal drying was achieved with one tray during a six-hour drying process, yielding a final moisture content of 13.94%. In comparison, when using conventional solar drying for seven hours, the moisture content reached only 6.18%. The comparison of drying rates between the drying machine and solar drying was recorded at 0.42 kg/hour and 0.048 kg/hour, respectively. This demonstrates that the designed areca nut dryer significantly reduces drying time while achieving the desired moisture content level.