Mass-Heater Supplemented Greenhouse Dryer for Post-Harvest Preservation in Developing Countries

A mass-heater supplemented greenhouse dryer is shown to be an adaptable technology to post-harvest preservation problems in developing countries. Inadequate harvest preservation in these countries often leads to a cycle of bumper harvest and production cutbacks, famine, inability of famers to get their harvest to the market, low quality of exports, and low agro-processing. Drying is a preservation technique that is readily adaptable for developing countries, and the earliest form of this method, open air drying, is still predominant. Rigorous designs are not always possible or economical, but the greenhouse dryer will always outperform open air drying irrespective of the quality of its design. Greenhouse dryer design parameters are identified, and guidelines for optimizing performance are provided. Mass-heaters based on rocket or top-lit-up-draft heaters, fueled by agricultural wastes, are proposed as supplementary heat sources when the sun is not available at night or during cloudy periods.