Electronic Theses and Dissertation

Proses penyalean pisang tradisional sering terkendala oleh lamanya waktu pengeringan, ketergantungan pada cuaca, dan tingginya kebutuhan lahan. Penelitian ini bertujuan menguji unjuk kerja sistem pemanas pada alat penyalean pisang tertutup guna meningkatkan efisiensi proses. Pengujian dilakukan dengan memvariasikan jenis bahan bakar (Gas LPG, Batok Kelapa, dan Arang Kayu) serta dimensi cerobong asap (20x10x10 cm dan 20x20x10 cm). Parameter yang dievaluasi meliputi distribusi temperatur sistem, profil temperatur pada tiga tingkat rak, dan persentase penurunan kadar air selama 12 jam operasi. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa Gas LPG memberikan performa termal yang paling tinggi dan stabil. Dari segi mekanika fluida, cerobong 20x10x10 cm terbukti lebih efektif menahan panas di dalam sistem, sedangkan cerobong 20x20x10 cm lebih cepat dalam membuang sirkulasi uap air. Konfigurasi Gas LPG dengan dimensi cerobong 20x20x10 cm ditetapkan sebagai kombinasi paling optimal karena menghasilkan keseimbangan terbaik antara suplai panas konveksi dan laju pembuangan uap air. Alat dengan konfigurasi ini mampu menekan kadar air pisang hingga tersisa 30,1% di akhir jam ke-12, menjadikannya solusi teknologi tepat guna yang efisien dan bebas dari pengaruh cuaca luar. Kata kunci: Pisang Sale, Sistem Pemanas, Dimensi Cerobong, Konveksi, Penurunan Kadar Air.

The traditional process of drying bananas (pisang sale) is often hindered by long drying times, dependence on weather conditions, and large land requirements. This study aims to evaluate the performance of a heating system in an enclosed banana-drying apparatus to improve process efficiency. The experiment was conducted by varying the type of fuel (LPG gas, coconut shells, and charcoal) as well as chimney dimensions (20x10x10 cm and 20x20x10 cm). The evaluated parameters included system temperature distribution, temperature profiles across three rack levels, and the percentage reduction in moisture content over 12 hours of operation. The results show that LPG gas provides the highest and most stable thermal performance. From a fluid mechanics perspective, the 20x10x10 cm chimney is more effective at retaining heat within the system, while the 20x20x10 cm chimney facilitates faster removal of water vapor circulation. The combination of LPG gas with a 20x20x10 cm chimney dimension was identified as the most optimal configuration, as it achieves the best balance between convective heat supply and water vapor discharge rate. This configuration can reduce the banana moisture content to 30.1% after 12 hours, making it an efficient and weather-independent appropriate technology solution. Keywords: Dried Banana (Pisang Sale), Heating System, Chimney Dimensions, Convection, Moisture Reduction.