Solar Dryers In Kenya For Agriculture

Grekkon offers solar dryers in Kenya for agriculture to meet food drying needs by growers, processors, and consumers. Our solar dryers are available in the east African region to commercial farmers who sell dried foods to international markets and local retail outlets. These low cost solar dryers are constructed with food grade material – from the structural system to the cover

They are environmental friendly, enhance energy conservation and dry four to five times faster than open air draining. Our solar dryers for agricultural products are an effective means of food preservation, and add value to highly perishable foods. Popularly dried foods in Kenya in these units are; cassava, vegetables, fruits, coffee,  herbs and spices

Natural solar dryers in Kenya for agriculture utilize sunshine to heat up air that dries the food product in it. It is an easy way to add value to food crops and meat which is beneficial in reducing wastage of excess agriculture production. Open air drying faces many challenges such as;

• degradation of food value by ultra violet rays (UV)
• susceptibility to insect pests and rodents
• dirt contamination

Grekkon Limited’s solar dryers are constructed on location for large fixed and portable sizes, or inpur store and later transported to site for small portable units

There are no standard sizes because each dryer is constructed on site according to the food material and volume to be dried per drying session. However, we do have common sizes by growers as per the tabulation below

Solar Dryers in Kenya For Agriculture

: Prices

Solar Dryer Size	Drying Capacity	Price of Solar Dryer
1.5m x 1.5m x 1.5m	40-50kgs	KES 70,000
2m x 2m x 2m	50-90kgs	KES 80,000
2m x 3m x 2m	80-100kgs	KES 90,000
2m x 4m x 2m	90-110kgs	KES 110,000
2m x 5m x 2m	100-130kgs	KES 130,000
L X W x H

These solar dryer prices in Kenya are inclusive of all material and installation cost

Solar Dryers in Kenya For Agriculture: Workings & Use

How A Solar Dryer Works

Heat diffuses into the dryer from all sides heating up the air within. This air is allowed in through an inlet vent and once heated, it escapes with the collected moisture from an outlet vent and the cycle continues till all moisture is dried off from the food. Grekkon dryers are designed to preserve the original food color, taste, scent and full nutritional value. This is achieved by use of UV treated cover and floor material, and food grade zinc or aluminum galvanized structure

 

How To Use Solar Dryers For Fruits And Vegetables

i. Chop or slice the produce into smaller pieces. This increases the surface area for drying

ii. Place these pieces on the drying trays

iii. Keep the door closed always to avoid food contamination

iv. Every drying 3 hours, monitor the moisture content using a moisture meter

 

Solar Dryers in Kenya For Agriculture

FAQs

1. What are the 2 types of solar dryers?

1.1. Passive solar dryers. They only utilise the sun’s warmth

1.2. Active solar dryers. These ar hybrid solar dryers that utilise both passive drying and biomass generated heat

2. How do you make a solar dryer?

Grekkon limited’s low cost solar dryers in Kenya are made from the following materials

2.1. A zinc or aluminum galvanised steel structure. It is rust free and easy to clean with plain water. Some farmers prefer to make them from timber because its chepaer. However, timber has a lower lifespan as it is more suscptible to weather elements, weakens as it absorbs moisture, and is easily prone to attacks by weevils, and termites

2.2. UV treated greenhouse polythene with anti-drip properties. The UV treatment prevents food degradation by the sun’s UV rays. It ensures that the color, taste, scent, and nutritional value remains after the moisture is removed. The anti-drip treatment prevents moisture droplets from condensing on the paper and forming drops that will fall on the food. Such drops cause moulding

2.3. A heat absorbent floor. This one absorbs heat during the day, and releases it at night reducing the variance between day and night temperatures. Dew formation and mould development is aggravated by a huge difference between day and night temperatures

2.4. A UV treated heavy gauge insect net to protect the produce from insect pests, and dirt or contamination. This insect net covers the air vents

 

3. What is the size of a solar dryer?

Your solar dryer size will be determined by the weight and volume of product dried per session. The larger it is, the larger will be your solar dryer

4. How do I choose a solar dryer size?

Grekkon Limited guides on the solar dryer size a client will need based on the produce type and drying quantity per session

5. What is the most popular use of a solar dryer?

To cleanly extract moisture (dehydrate) from farm produce, yet retain all other qualities

6. What type of solar dryer is best?

A hybrid solar dryer is the best because it allows for continuous drying; both day and night, and on cloudy or cold days