How to use the DRYIT semi-continuous tray dryer
Practical Action
Which route then should an intending user chose? No hard and fast rules can be applied, as
much will depend on the crop and local situation. The following points however should be
carefully considered:
Are fuel costs a major concern? In some cases the cost of fuel is only a very small
percentage of total cost. In such cases time and money might be better spent on
better packaging or advertising.
Is the product of very high value? Here over drying would reduce profits as less water
is being sold with the product. Quality may also be lower.
Is the product very sensitive to heat? Spices and medicinal plants for example
may loose more of the active, sensitive components if batch dried.
Local labour costs and social attitudes. Does shift work involve a very high bonus for
example or are workers unlikely to want to work nights?
Most users process a range of products rather than just one type of crop or food. Therefore a
semi-continuous dryer is recommended, because it can also be used as a batch dryer and
therefore provides the most flexibility. For business purposes, the DRYIT dryer provides an
ideal starting point. DRYIT is medium size and semi continuous, ideal for flexibility and
experimentations when starting a drying business.
Figure 2: Batch dryer, showing compartments
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