Developed container-type and transportable solar dehydrator
Indirect solar thermal energy has positioned itself as a viable alternative for the dehydrated products industry, especially when replacing traditional gas installations.
As a result of the above, the academic of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Director of the Center for Energy Innovation [CIE] of the Technical University Federico Santa María [USM - Chile], Jaime Espinoza, developed a prototype, oriented to small farmers, which is Easy to move and assemble and to use low temperature solar applications.
It is a prototype, container type that can be transported by truck, and can even operate during the trip thanks to the solar radiation it receives, and is mainly aimed at small farmers with needs to process between 500 and 1.000 kg of products per day.
"The initiative emerged as a response to a need of the agricultural sector, detected in the ERNC Project in Agriculture of the Regional Government of the V region in the 2013", Said Espinoza in an interview with Portalfruticola.com.
"The USM has maintained an almost permanent work on the solar issue and in this case it has allowed me to focus on the subject of solar drying or dehydration, as a technological challenge. How is it possible that in Chile it dries directly to the sun without control or with gas, knowing that we are rich in solar energy?"He questioned.
In this way, he indicated that as Energy Innovation Center his mission is to train professionals in this field and provide real solutions to the problems raised.
"We develop the concept of active solar roofs, that is, allow the roofs to capture solar hot air through a system of 'false ceiling' that allows the air to heat up to almost 70 ° C and reducing its humidity to almost 10%. Then we continue with the development of the "solar dehydrator container""That allows to move this component, be modular, scalable, and multiple use to dehydrate all types of food," he said.
And it is that, in addition to its easy assembly, can adapt to the requirements of different types of production demand and its manufacture uses materials available in the construction of cold rooms, so its availability is guaranteed throughout the country.
Currently, they receive financing from the Ministry of Energy to support the sector of San Esteban [V region, Chile] to obtain quality raisins, then peaches and finally dried nuts with solar hot air.
"The solar dehydrator container - which is under patenting - heats the air by its side and top walls and then enters it where the product is to be dehydrated: grapes, peaches, tomatoes, eggplant, figs, blueberries, apples, etc. the list of opportunities is long", he pointed.
According to Espinoza, they are working on the validation stage of the prototype, to know in detail its capacity and drying time.
"We are seeing how many kilograms it can dry, how many days, etc. The prototype has dimensions of 2 x 2 x 5 m and we have another smaller 1,2 x 1,2 x 4 m equipment for small producers"He said.
Finally, the academic from the USM indicated that the project grants "many benefits, including a controlled dehydrated product, free of all external agents (compared to direct drying in the sun), a new entrepreneurial opportunity to market dry products with high commercial value"He said.
Currently, there is a team installed in the El Higueral sector in San Esteban, which is in operation since last January's 23.
Source: Fruit Portal
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