Auto-Stirring Grains Bed Dryer as an Innovative Efficiency Solution

Abstract

The government has budgeted assistance/grants continuously many bed dryers to farmers but many of them were not used because farmers felt that the drying production rate of rice is more expensive than the traditional open sun drying. The farmers choose to go back to the traditional way that takes the drying process longer than using the dryer. For 1 year, open sun drying can process 100 batches, and dryer can process 450 batches. This research tries to solve the high cost problem by looking for a new alternative solution. The solution is replacing the oil burner with a rice husk burner, which is appropriate both economically and environmentally. For the stirring mechanism, this system must continuously stir up the pile of grains during the drying process. The point must be fulfilled is that the total cost of the drying process should not rise, especially the cost of the stirring process. A stirrer mechanism that needs smaller power than the maximum power setting is made. Farmers’ income for this innovative modification will get a 332% increasing profit than using oil burner bed dryer machine and will get a 41% increasing in welfare than using the standard husk burner bed dryer.

Analyzing the Homogeneity in the Reduction of Water Content During the Drying Process of Grains Using a Flatbed Dryer Machine Equipped With a Stirring Mechanization System

“…The concept of this research is in line with other previously-done research in continuously stirring using a stirrer (Sjechlad, et al, 2019) which is attached on the drying chamber and operated automatically. This will be a reference used in this paper to test the evenness of reducing water content during the drying process.…”

“…As it was previously discussed in the paper (Sjechlad, et al, 2019), the concept of stirring in this mechanization system was designed to guarantee that the stirring process would happen without having to rely on human resources as stirring labor, which is a factor that naturally increases operational costs. With the exception of one human operator who oversees the overall drying process, the role of human labor is significantly minimized during the drying process except the process of loading/unloading the materials.…”

Portable Solar-Energy Drying System With Mechanical Stirring Device for Cereals Under Egyptian Conditions

“…In sunny areas, turning the grain is the most important activity to good best quality, where any variation in moisture content within the grain layers will rewet and cause cracking of drier grains and hence bad milling quality (Rice knowledge bank, 2019). For this reason, Dandy et al (2019) developed and manufactured a stirring mechanism for flatbed dryer with additional power not more than or equal to 22.26 HP (43.5HP -21.24 HP). Two electric motors were used to develop the Portable solar-energy drying system with mechanical stirring device for cereals under Egyptian conditions stirring system, one for transition move and 2 nd electric motor plus gearbox to rotate the carrying shaft the direction of move.…”