Objective The purpose of this project is to realize 3 driers for grains at low temperature, utilizing solar energy as thermal energy source, in 3 different sites (Portugal, Midi-Pyrenees, France), each site representing some particularities.These realizations will permit to develop the technology and to set the limits (f.e. drying of very humid grains, very heavy climatic conditions, etc.).The system in Portugal is used to dry rise while one of the systems in France is used to dry biological products. The other system is used to dry other qualities of grains (corn, colza, sunflower, etc..).The project concerns the construction of agricultural product dryers at 3 different geographical zones, each zone having its particularities. The technique hereby applied is the coupling of two techniques already applied before but separately.The first technique consists of a drying process slow in time and a low temperature, using solar energy as main thermal source, and electricity for the mechanical power. The disadvantage of this technique is that there are product losses if the average humidity exceeds 25%.The second technique consists of drying at medium temperature (about 60 deg.C). It has been shown interesting for products with a humidity above 25 %, to comple the solar energy with an auxiliary heater to obtain temperatures of about 60 deg.C (medium temperature). When the humidity of the grains is reduced to 23-25%, the auxiliary heater is shut off and the drying goes on at low temperature with solar energy.The dryer concept is a combination of a storage cell and a dryer cell. In this way the expenses for a high temperature dryer are eliminated. This is replaced by a gas fired drying cell at medium temperature.The thermal energy for the "solar" drying is taken through solar air collectors in the roof. The air is pushed through the grains (packed 2 to 5 meters high) by an adapted ventilator.The design of this type of dryer should take care of the different types of grains to be treated, the micro-climate and eventually the existing building. Programme(s) ENG-ENDEMO C - Programme (EEC) of demonstration projects and industrial pilot projects (EEC) in the energy field, 1985-1989 Topic(s) 7.2 - THERMAL Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme DEM - Demonstration contracts Coordinator CENTRO DE ESTUDOS EM ECONOMIA DA ENERGIA (CEEETA EU contribution No data Address RUA MIGUEL LUPI 20 1200 LISBOA Portugal See on map Total cost No data
