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Solar food drying is a well-established food-conserving process in India. Various researchers had developed solar dryer models which were usually validated using experimental observations and numerical simulation processes that are time-consuming and money-consuming. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation software facilitates the simulation of the models and gives same results in a comparatively small frame of time. This research paper is focused on CFD simulation, validation of design, energy analysis and numerical computation for domestic direct-type solar dryer for which experimental observations were performed at Ludhiana in November 2006. The design and simulation of the domestic direct-type multi-shelf dryer at no load condition are performed using ANSYS Fluent 14.0 software. The temperature of the air inside the dryer is found to be 326 K, which validates the design and purpose of the domestic direct-type multi-shelf dryer. The embodied energy of the constituents used in the construction of dryer is obtained as 339.015 kWh, and the energy payback time and carbon credit are found to be 7.57 years and INR 2055, respectively. The convective heat transfer coefficient for the dryer varies from 2.4 to 2.8 W m−2 °C−1. Coefficient of determination is estimated to be 0.98 under no load condition which shows the fare agreement between predicted and experimental value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]