Commercial Solar Dryers in Kenya
https://www.aquahubkenya.co.ke/product/solar-dryers-in-kenya/ Commercial Solar Dryers in Kenya. Grains and cereals get easily damaged if they are not well dried
Commercial Solar Dryers in Kenya
Commercial Solar Dryers in Kenya are devices that enables tapping of energy from the sun for use in drying harvested food crops such as cereals, vegetables, and fruits.
Components of a Commercial Solar Dryer
- Greenhouse polythene ( UV-Treated, 200 microns )
- Steel / Wooden Structure (With specific measurements to suit the volume of the matter to be dried)
- Ventilation and Shelving netting ( UV-Treated)
- Ventilation fans ( Special cases )
Solar Dryer Sizes
The basic sizes of our solar dryers are:,
- 1.5 m × 1.5 m × 1 m
- 2 m × 2 m × 1.5 m
- 3 m × 2 m × 2 m
Features of Commercial Solar Dryers
- Ventilation – Hybrid Solar dryers have ventilations for moist air to be released out.
- Heat preservation – Insulated materials are fitted on solar dryers to prevent heat loss.
- Structure – Solar dryers have different structures and arrangement of parts.
How Commercial Solar Dryers Work
Commercial Solar Dryers in Kenya work under the principle of density variation in gases.
Commercial Solar dryers are made of metal boxes fitted with a solar panel, air entrance, heat converter, drying chamber and energy storage unit. The air is heated, and moisture removed from the grains out of the chamber through an exit hole.
Hot air is passed to the drying chamber to remove moisture from grains or food through the air exit hole. Other means of energy such as generators, electricity and biogas are sometimes integrated to the Commercial solar dryers for use when sunlight is not available.
Solar Dryers are more effective as compared to traditional sun drying of food and crops. Solar drying unlike ordinary methods protects food from rain, poultry, and insects.
Cost of Setting Up Commercial Solar Dryers in Kenya
The cost of setting up Commercial Solar Dryers in Kenya depends on the size of the dryer, the quality of the dryer and the quantity of crops to be dried. The farmer will incur other costs of purchasing sand, cement, gravel, metal bars, thick glass or polythene and insulators in case of direct dryers or glass erected dryers.
The cost of common dryer sizes available in the market are listed in the table below.
| Solar Dryer Dimensions | No. of Shelves | Metallic Cost in Ksh. | Wooden Cost in Ksh. |
| 1.5 m × 1.5 m × 1 m | 3 | 80,000 | 49,000 |
| 2 m x 2 m x 1.5 m | 3 | 100,000 | 58,000 |
| 3 m x 2 m x 2 m | 3 | 110,000 | 67,000 |
Steps for construction of Solar dryers in Kenya
- Choose the suitable location, size, and materials for the dryer with the help of an expert from Aqua Hub Kenya
- Install the structure; it can be wooden or metallic
- Provide for the black substance at the base for heat absorption and shelves to dry the matter
- The outer cover, install the polythene sheeting, and the ventilation chamber
FAQs
A solar dryer uses solar energy to dry fruits and vegetables. Solar energy is a non-conventional source of energy. So we can use an unlimited source of energy from the sun as the main drying agent.
- Solar dryers are used to eliminate the moisture content from crops, vegetables, and fruits. The solar dryer consists of a box made up of easily available and cheap materials like cement, galvanized iron, brick, and plywood. The top surface of the dryer is covered by transparent single and double-layered sheets. The inside surface is coloured black to absorb the incoming solar radiation. Since the box is insulated, the inside temperature of the box is raised. The air is ventilated through the small holes at the top of the box.
Get your preferred solar dryers from Aqua Hub Kenya, both Nairobi and Eldoret branches. We are the best in the field with quality and durable solar dryers in Kenya.
Our contacts are NAIROBI: 0790719020 | ELDORET: 0759372241