In　this　study,　a　flat　plate　solar　collector　with　dual-function　(FSDF)　embeddable　in　a　hybrid　solar　drying　system　is　proposed　and　constructed.　In　the　present　drying　system,　air　outlet　temperature　of　FSDF　is　controlled　within　the　suitable　drying　temperature　range.　Thereby　the　efficiency　of　solar　energy　utilization　and　the　quality　of　dry　product　can　be　improved.　This　study　has　revealed,　for　the　first　time,　solar　drying　air　temperature　can　be　controlled　by　adopting　operation　strategy　based　on　FSDF.　The　operation　strategy,　thermal　performance　and　economic　analysis　of　flat　plate　solar　collector　with　dual-function　hybrid　dryer　(FSDFHD)　are　investigated.　A　detail　mathematical　modelling　is　developed　to　calculate　the　thermal　parameters　of　FSDF.　Performance　test　of　FSDF　were　also　carried　out　in　the　September　of　2017.　The　results　show　that　there　is　a　good　agreement　between　the　simulated　and　experimental　values　of　these　parameters.　For　the　glass　cover,　absorber　plate　and　outlet　air　temperature,　the　root　mean　square　deviation　(RMSD)　value　is　8.9%,　11.9%　and　10.5%　respectively.　The　range　of　maximum　heat　collecting　efficiency　of　FSDF　is　32.5%-50.8%　for　three　different　heat　collecting　modes.　The　range　of　heat　loss　coefficient　of　FSDF　is　about　2.5-6.2　W/(Km(2)).　In　addition,　operation　strategy　of　FSDFHD　all　year　round　is　given　and　analyzed　through　case　study.　The　solar　fraction　and　energy　distribution　of　FSDFHD　can　be　calculated　at　any　day　of　the　year.　Finally,　economic　analysis　is　conducted　to　study　the　application　of　FSDFHD　in　china.　The　results　show　that　FSDFHD　has　applicative　enough　for　their　advantages　in　economy　with　the　help　of　judgement　criteria　of　the　present　value　of　the　cost　and　the　annual　cost.　Thus,　this　study　can　provide　theoretical　basis　for　designing　and　operating　strategy　of　FSDFHD　in　drying　agricultural　products.　(C)　2018　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.