Many efforts have been done to optimal use of renewable energy resources. Among these resources, solar energy has a remarkable importance in Iran as a mostly available and clean energy. Drying of agricultural products is an old method to protect them for long times known as an energy intensive unit operation compared to others. Traditional open sun drying has been used since a long time ago. However, solar dryers are used instead to improve the quality and hygiene of the dried products. Thermodynamic analysis is a method to evaluate thermal efficiency of the heating systems. Thermal efficiency evaluation along with determining the quality parameters of the product can be used to optimize a solar dryer. This study was aimed to perform thermodynamic analysis of an indirect solar dryer as well as investigating quality parameters of thin banana slices during drying process. Air mass flow rates of 0.016, 0.041, 0.082 kilogram of dry air per second were respectively applied as natural convective flow, low speed flow and high speed flow to ascertain the objectives. To energy analysis, the value of energy utilization ratio, and to exergy analysis, the values of exergy utilized ratio as well as irreversibility at collector were determined. Results showed that energy utilization ratio decreased by moisture content reduction and was independent of air mass flow rate. However, the most exergy utilization ratio was observed during drying under natural convective flow condition. Maximum utilization of system was also occurred nearby the critical moisture content. To assess the quality of the dried product color changes and shrinkage of the product were analyzed kinetically during dying process. Shrinkage analysis was studied in terms of surface area and volume changes. Total color difference and browning index were calculated in CIE L*a*b* color system. The variations in surface area and volume were related to the moisture content and independent of the air mass flow rate and temperature, whereas the color changes varied with the air mass flow rate. The least value of browning index occurred at air mass flow rate of 0.041 kilogram of dry air per second. Moreover, the change in the product volume was more than the evaporated water volume before the moisture content reached to its critical value and was equal to that after passing the critical moisture content. It was also revealed that the air velocity and temperature had more influence on color change at low moisture contents. Water absorption capacity was also considered as another parameter for quality evaluation of the dried product. No significant difference was observed between three mass flow rates of air within 0.95 statistical probability level.