Study on the solar collector design and main curing effect of 5-coupled bulk curing barns

In order to realize tobacco curing energy-saving and environmental protection and lower cost, the comparative trial was conducted to study the flue-curing tobacco leaves quality between the bulk curing barn installed with sunlight greenhouse solar collector of low cost and the ordinary bulk curing barn. The bulk curing barns were up-draft and 5-coupled bulk barns. The results showed that the average coal consumption to attain 1 kg dried tobacco leaves were significantly lower in the solar-heating barn (1.66 kg/kg) than the ordinary bulk curing barn (2.02 kg/kg) in three sites. The coal consumption rate was lowed 17.82% in the solar-heating barn than the ordinary bulk curing barn. At the same time, the electricity consumption rate was lowed 4.48% in the solar-heating barn. The graded structure and appearance quality of the dried tobacco leaves was slightly better in the solar-heating barn than the ordinary bulk curing barn. The main chemical components content of the same stalk position had no significantly difference. The Aroma components content of dried tobacco leaves was higher in the solar-heating barn than the ordinary bulk curing barn. Those showed that the effect of energysaving and environmental protection was marked and the quality of dried tobacco leaves was improved in the solar-heating barn than the ordinary bulk curing barn.