Design of a small fruit drier using geothermal energy

A fruit drier was originally proposed for a project at the Los Azufres geothermal field in Mexico. Since the drier was to be used in a demonstration project to interest local fruit growers and processors, the size was minimal to expedite construction and minimize cost. The design was based on preliminary work reported by Herman Guillen. The design is described here, as it can be adapted to many small or experimental situations. The actual design will handle about 900 kg (2000 lbs) of fruit (wet) per drying cycle. Cutting, storing and packaging of the fruit should be done on site in a separate building. A cold-storage facility may be designed to keep fresh fruit when harvest exceeds the capacity of the drier.