Efficient dryer

A solar fruit-and-grain drying system has been developed by the Farm Machinery Institute at Islamabad, Pakistan, for better conservation of fruits and vegetables. The new drying system contains eight identical flat-plate solar collectors with a total surface area of 15 square metres. These are used to achieve a drying capacity of one tonne of grain and 250 kgs of fruit or vegetables. The capacity of this system is seven times higher than the conventional green-house solar drying system, while the production cost per kg of dried fruit or vegetable is one-third.