Page 55 - Technology Compendium

CSIR-IMMT/PEI - 02

Biomass operated forced draft maize dryer

Advantages / Salient Technical Features
• Uniform drying of grains, pulses, etc., with electric
driven exhaust fans. Smoke and flue gas do not come
in contact with food materials (indirect heating).
Complete combustion of fuels, faster drying &
pollution free device. Fuel consumption: 2.0 kg/hr
(According to the capacity of dryer) Mobile dryers are
available.

Problem being addressed
• Traditional practice of drying agricultural produce
in the field’s country yards and the roads by direct
exposure to sunshine involves the risk of weather
damage, losses in fields and losses during storage
and transportation due to improper and incomplete
drying. As compared with sun drying, biomass
dryers can generate higher air temperature and IPR Status / Details (India/Abroad)
consequence lower relative humidity’s they are
both conductive to improved drying rates and lower • Know how Commercialized Technology
final moisture contents of the agricultural produce. available with IMMT.
Drying process of the agricultural products involves
progressive loss of moisture content in the product, Application/Uses
it involve moisture removal due to simultaneous heat • Used for efficient drying & heating of maize,
and mass transfer. Agricultural products harvested, and other agricultural products.
threshed and dried to moisture content of bout
(11.8%-13%) for safe storage or sales. Biomass keeps
on burning by natural free flow of air. While hot flue Scale of Development
gas is passing through the heat Exchanger it comes • Drying capacity: 50 Kg/hr (Current TRL Level
indirectly contact with air driven by electricity driven : 04)
exhaust fans and heated air passed through the
products and drying is taking place. About 50 kg of
maive can be dried in 1 hr of time and the biomass Commercialization Status
consumption is about 1 kg/hr • TIFAC, Govt of India.

Environmental Considerations (if any) Techno-economics
• Reduces pollution as compared to other traditional • NA
biomass drying process.
Technology Package
Major Raw Materials to be Utilized • IMMT will provide engineering drawing of
• Fabrication/installation: Mild Steel Sheets, flats, the dryer, operational training and demon-
rods, angles, hand tools & plywood, brick wall & RCC stration.
structure, solar panels etc. Fuel for operation: Fire
wood/biomass Drying process: Agricultural products,
minor forest produces (MFPs), food products etc.

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