I am looking for a process+equipment for drying spice leaves, industrial scale, with the most low energy consumption possible, priority: without electricity. Thanks.
The sun is great for an electricity free process but what about equipment.
To address equipment I would suggest at least one standard issue 'Human Being'. Sorry no part number available. Models vary. Although I do prefer the 36-26-34 for aesthetic characteristics.
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There are produce drying equipment available. The methods for drying grain known to me may however not be suitable for use on spice leaves. I would look at at other spice growers in your vicinity to see what they are doing.
Looking at spices found in shops I presume different methods would have to be used.
The basic design for any dryer is a stream of heated air that must be allowed to flow threw a layer of leaves.
Can you give more detail regarding the type of spice involved, the moisture contents, the volume that had to be processed per time period, temperature limitations etc.
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The Company is one of the two who process spice for packaging after drying. The process today is a flow of dry air, but is electricity consuming, almost to the full capacity of the factory, with no increase in electricity supply expected in the next 4 years. The spices are leaves from almost 50 different classes. Sun is allways the choice but the process needs to be continuous, no more than 2 hours at 100 deg Centigrade. Outside and with sun rays a fungy is developed after 4 days of drying. The fungy develops at night, and covering the leaves at down does not affect this fungi.
If I've understood you right, you are using electricity to heat up the air too. Using agro-waste for fuel to heat up the air and restricting electricity usage to move the material and the air should help. That's a lot of kilo calories one is talking about. The flue gas itself could be used with dilution air if there are no quality issues, else an indirect heat exchange will be necessary.
What is the capacity (kgs/hr of leaves) desired and what are the inlet and outlet moisture contents? With 50 varieties of raw materials, there may be a lot of variations. A sketch of what you have and some details about the leaves would help
I normally would not post this here, but it seems like such a good fit. If the company is ever interested in a good website domain name I have www.dryherb.com for sale. Reasonable offers accepted. If interested I can be reached at cameraready@uniserve.com
(It seems somehow wrong to use a wind turbine to make electricity to drive a fan. ) Are there not scoop designs to catch air, (like on board an old ship!) and funnel it through a heated plenum, and then to your drying room? As far as heating the air, you could burn almost any bio-mass...dung, dried seaweed, or whatever is cheap. If there is not enough breeze, then you can supplement it with the existing fans.
But again, maybe I am over thinking this problem. When I cut the hay on my farm, it dries in two days in the sun, and is ready to bale. If rain is an issue (like when it in NOT an issue?) then a plastic or glass roof would be helpful. A greenhouse. They get pretty hot in the day time, and they are pretty easy to vent. But that will take up a lot of space. If you don't have space there are always roof tops.
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If it was easy anybody could do it.
use solar to heat to dry the spices as it heats water that is stored throughout the day and radiant heat after sunset. any boost to gain the necessary heat at night would still be electric but in the long run cheaper than just electric.
am looking for a process+equipment for drying spice leaves, industrial scale, with the most low energy consumption possible, priority: without electricity. Thanks
What scale? How many Kg/hr and what temperature?
Depending on the scale/kg per hour product there are Rotary Driers 3ft dia x 8 ft length to 9ft dia x 18 ft length with steam radiator & blower.
Or
Conveying Driers also with steam radiators, all similar to that being used in drying tobacco leaves.
Here it is low energy consumption & without electricity but requires boiler setup for steam.
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Drying processes
Re: Drying processes
