Technical and socio-economic evaluation of a low-cost grain dryer / Jolena B. Nuñez [and 4 others].

Undergraduate Theses (BSECE) - Electronics Engineering. Camarines Sur Polytechnic Colleges, 2022.

Includes bibliographical references.

Rice is a primary food source for millions of individuals worldwide Inadequate drying after harvesting can cause a decline in the income of small-scale farmers, especially during the rainy season in the Philippines. To address this problem, researchers conducted a study to fabricate and examine the technical and socio-economic aspects of a low-cost rice grain dryer for Barangay Sta. Barbara, Nabua, Camarines Sur with 20 respondent farmers. Its design parameters include; a drying chamber, heating element, vacuum, mixer, electric motors, frame, load cells, and rice grain compartment. Our evaluation consisted of technical performance, cost-effectiveness, impact on farmers livelihoods, and socio-economic factors that influence the adoption and sustainability of technology. Our low-cost dryer has a drying chamber with a 5-10 kg. capacity for rice grains and an inlet air temperature of 70°C-100°C yields a moisture content of 12%-14%, suitable for storage and milling. The survey result indicates that the low-cost rice grain dryer is an effective and affordable solution for small-scale farmers with a high drying rate, acceptable energy consumption, and improved drying quality.