SwedSun – a unique solar drying equipment

This technology has been developed for warm climate countries where sun drying is widely used for food preservation. The technology is aimed for small farmers and fisherman with limited economic potential. Equipment is simple and is easy to manufacture by the user.

The traditional drying of food stuffs is performed by exposing the product for direct sun. The product is spread on mats, blankets, iron plates, plastics or even along streets and road sides. The photos below show examples of traditional drying (the upper row). The photos in the lower row show drying of food products in KONSEB’s solar dryers.

KONSEBs solar drying system has a number of advantages:
* The drying process is faster due to air stream generated by fans
* The temperature is kept more or less constant and never reaches high values
* The drying continues during nights thanks to the air stream generated by fans
* Products are dried in a closed chamber, so there is no risk of contamination of the product
* The most of nutrients remain in the product
* The original colours are well preserved
* There is no risk for dangerous free radicals as sunshine does not reach the product
* Good efficiency even in cloudy and foggy weather
* There is no risk that unforeseen rain spoils the product

The design of solar dryers depends on many factors among others what product is supposed to be dried. KONSEBs solar dryer consists normally of a sun collector, equipped with appropriate fans and a drying chamber. The food stuff is spread on shelves, which are piled up in the chamber. To make the system independent of electric net, the fans are driven by electricity generated by photovoltaic panels.

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