Chimney Solar Dryer in Majengo, Tanzania
During one month the volunteers Maya and Austin together with the community around Majengo library have managed to build a chimney solar dryer. The dryer is designed to provide efficient drying even in hazy or partly cloudy conditions. Constructing the dryer is simple, and it can be built from low-cost locally sourced materials.
According to Feed the Future (the US Government´s Global Hunger and Food Security Initiative) which came up with the dryer, these are the unique characteristics and advantages of the drier:
1. Drying is fast and safe.
2. The chimney solar dryer is easy to build.
3. Relatively high capacity (approx. 10 kg of fresh product).
4. Covered, hygienic drying protects the product from contamination by dust, insects, animals, weather, etc.
5. The design can be modified to suit the needs of the product and the user.
6. The chimney ensures continuous airflow above and below the product, thus increasing the speed of drying compared to other designs.
7. The dryer’s large heat-collection area ensures high temperatures and rapid moisture removal.
There are many opportunities for the Majengo library community to use the dryer and potentially sell the dried products. They have started with moringa leaves which are after the drying pressed into a powder (you can add the powder into porridge or any other food) and with dried tomatoes. Of course, there is a potential to dry other local food such as bananas, mango, or corn.
Would you be interested in helping the community to come up with new ways to preserve food and to potentially have goods to sell? Come and volunteer to this community!
For more information watch the instruction video: http://bit.ly/chimney-dryer-video
- Míša, BF Uganda and Tanzania Ambassador