Abstract

Drying is useful for extending the shelf life of a food product by preventing spoilage, making it a crucial step in the Rengginang production process to reduce the water content to a safe level. Traditional drying methods, which rely on sunlight, have several limitations, such as dependence on weather, long processing times, and the risk of contamination. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of drying rice crackers using thermal energy from rice husks from a technical and ergonomic perspective. The study was conducted to design a dryer using worker anthropometric data and two 360-minute drying scenarios: one using a rice husk-based dryer and one using direct solar drying. The results show that the height of the top and bottom shelves in the drying room is 1285.39 mm and 617.64 mm, based on anthropometric data of standing eye height and gripping hand height. The maximum height of the control device and the height of the door handle are 1649.01 mm and 876.98 mm, based on anthropometric data of standing hand reach and elbow height. The dimensions of the shelves for placing Rengginang have a length and width of 711.96 mm and 525.49 mm, respectively, based on anthropometric data of elbow reach and front reach of the gripping hand. The use of a rice husk energy dryer resulted in an average drying temperature of 69.06°C with a range of 51.29-81.90°C, and the initial moisture content of Rengginang of 48.27% was successfully reduced to 8.78%. When dried directly in the sun, the moisture content only dropped to 29.21%. This difference indicates a significant influence of technical conditions on drying performance, such as heat distribution and air ventilation. From an ergonomics perspective, drying efficiency contributes to reduced work duration, heat exposure, and worker physical strain. Optimal drying can reduce the risk of musculoskeletal disorders and improve work comfort. Ergonomics thermal engineering results in effective utilization of rice husk energy, including technical aspects and the design of tools and work processes that are appropriate for worker posture.

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