Intelligent Control System for Infrared Hot Air Drying Equipment Based on PLC

China's agricultural output has consistently ranked among the global leaders in recent years. However, most agricultural products and by-products are characterized by high moisture content and perishability, with improper post-harvest handling leading to significant losses. Drying technology serves as a critical preservation method. Infrared-hot air combined drying, leveraging its dual advantages of penetration heating and energy efficiency, has emerged as a pivotal approach in sustainable drying solutions. Nevertheless, existing equipment faces challenges such as low automation and high energy consumption. To achieve precise temperature control and intelligent regulation in infrared-hot air drying systems, this study developed an intelligent control system based on programmable logic controllers (PLC) using Sichuan Da hong citrus peel as experimental material, addressing key limitations of conventional equipment including poor drying quality, high energy consumption, and insufficient intelligence. The main research contributions and conclusions are as follows.