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4.8. Proposal for an international network of research on small scale sundriers
- M.D. Griffon
INTRODUCTION
Sundrying techniques have to go beyond the experimental stage before they can effectively contribute to a reduction in post-harvest losses and before they can be disseminated on a large scale.
In fact, sundrying techniques are not sufficiently disseminated. Numerous projects, quite well dispersed, exist and there are many prototypes, but they remain on the experimental level.
These projects are certainly interesting, but they are mostly too meticulous and we would like to go beyond that stage.
If sundrying is to be taken seriously to improve the post-harvest system, the following would be indispensable:
MULTIDISCIPLINARY GROUP
In order to promote the use of solar energy in an effective way, we feel that specialists of various disciplines have to collaborate:
Research work is already based on a multidisciplinary collaboration in France:
| Expert in thermo-dynamics | ESAM of Bordeaux | J. R. Puiggali |
| Expert in fluids | University of Perpignan | M. Fournier |
| Engineer in industrial food products | ENSIA (Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Industries Agricoles et Alimentaires | J.J. Bimbenet |
| SIARC (Section Ingénieurs Industries Alimentaires Regions Chaudes) | J.P. Hebert | |
| CEEMAT (Centre d'Etudes et d'Expérimentation du Machinisme Agricole tropical) | M.D. Griffon, A. Themelin | |
| Agro-biochemist Ethnologist Socio-economist |
The Institutes of Gerdat, fruit, cocoa, cotton, rubber, wood, oil, food production | Fruit: P. Estanove and Y. Lozano Coffee, cocoa: J.C. Vincent Rubber: P. Leveque Cotton: J. Gutknecht Wood : C. Sales Oil: J. Graille Food production: J.C. Miche |
| Manufacturer | SERESOL (Société Etudes et Réalisations solaires) | J. Proust and G. Moreau |
| Experimental work | University of Bordeaux | Estate of "La Bastide" |
| University of Perpignan | Estate of the University | |
| CEEMAT/SIARC in Montpellier | Experimental fields of GIS (Groupement d'Intérêet Scientifique) "Energetic systems and utilization of space" on the Estate of "La Valette" |
The French team has come up with two types of small capacity sundriers but with reliable and acceptable results:
The two driers have the following characteristics in common:
AN INTERNATIONAL NETWORK
The objective is to establish an informal network of teams that are engaged in solar energy for the drying of agricultural products.
However, if one wants to pass the stage of prototypes, it seems necessary to use a standard methodology and standardized material in order to enable collaborating teams to profit from the work of partners and to use the results obtained by others.
Only with the use of standardized material could the teams compare their results and enhance their knowledge.
This standardized material exist and has already been tested by our French multidisciplinary teams
It is proposed to use the "tropical" SERESOL drier as a common tool to the various teams in the network. Ten collaborating stations among 20 laboratories (foreign institutions) have already been selected which were interested in this approach and had met with criteria of selection:
Three distinct regions have been identified:
| AFRICA | Burundi |
| Cameroon | |
| Central Africa | |
| Mali | |
| Morocco | |
| INDIAN OCEAN | Seychelles |
| Comoros | |
| CARIBBEAN and SOUTH AMERICA | Brasil |
| French Guyana | |
| Martinique |
Six stations have already received the SERESOL "Tropical" sundrier and the other four will receive the sundrier before the end of 1983. The experiments, based on a common procedure, could start in January 1984.
ADAPTATION OF THE TECHNOLOGY
After the first experimental phase has been completed - according to a common procedure - by the various teams in the networks during which data could be transferred and compared each team will improve their own material according to the local constraints encountered.
This adaptation will require thorough research of the locally available materials and a full mastery of the technology by the users.
There are already various ideas of adaptation:
The collection of the improvements suggested by each team will be handled by the organized and disseminated to all teams, who, will catalyze action undertaken by local development organization or national officials in charge of these matters (planners, bankers, etc.) and {he rural users.
This development phase has to take into consideration the human potential and the local resources available in the relevant countries.
FURTHER DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTS
The results expected of the development of these efforts and their subsequent expansion are twofold:
i) On the technical level
On the basis of the results obtained under various climatic conditions, to bring to light the functioning, the advantages and inconveniences of different techniques - such as natural drying, sundrying in natural and in forced air circulation which are applied to small drying units meeting the needs of small village communities.
ii) ON THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC LEVEL
To make an economic estimate of the preceding technical criteria in relation to constraints of various production system, this will eventually lead to a combination of different techniques (predrying - final drying) and/or promote the utilization of various production units as a common tool, thereby taking into consideration the impact of the technical/economic constraints inherent to these techniques.
