Pepper is one of the most widely used ingredients in the world and is in increasing demand in the international food industry business. Red pepper is a type of pepper that forms an important ingredient in daily cuisine in Algeria. Peppers are rich in vitamins A and C as well as antioxidant components. In Algeria, pepper is traditionally dried. The traditional method is to tie the pepper stems with rope to form a wreath or cut the pods lengthwise into two strips, which are then dried in the open sun.

Open sun drying, where the product is directly exposed to the sun allowing the material to absorb solar radiation, is one of the traditional techniques used in Algeria. The open sun drying method requires little investment, but it causes significant damage: it requires a large open area, very long drying times, and the final products are of poor quality due to insect and dust contamination.

Many solar drying systems are designed as alternatives to traditional drying in the open sun, especially in locations with good sunlight. These drying systems can be classified into three forms as direct, indirect and mixed mode.

This work attempts to evaluate the efficiency and profitability of a greenhouse (used in agriculture) for drying agricultural products. However, they are perishable crops, as they deteriorate within a few days after harvest. Its nutritional properties can be preserved by drying. In general, red chili peppers may undergo some specific treatments in order to slow down some non-enzymatic chemical reactions. Blanching chili peppers in hot water for 5 minutes reduces the initial moisture content and drying time. This work aims to study and analyze the drying of red hot pepper using solar greenhouses. A 300 kg greenhouse dryer was designed and built at the Solar Energy Equipment Development Unit (UDES) in Bou Ismail, Algeria. Red hot pepper drying experiments were conducted in June 2023. Various experimental data were recorded every hour such as ambient air temperature, humidity, greenhouse air temperature, etc. to evaluate the heat and mass transfer of the proposed system. This work presents the results of an experimental study on solar drying of red pepper. The drying process was carried out in an indirect dryer with forced convection. This type of dryer is inexpensive, easy to operate and is used for drying food products. The choice of red pepper is justified by its abundance and high consumption.