DESCRIPTION

Rural women residing in coastal areas have to spend considerable amount of manual labour and time in sun-drying and processing marine products similar are the problems faced by women in terms of farm products. This economical solar drier is a boon in this regard as it not only saves time but also reduces the human drudgery involved in the conventional process. 

CONSTRUCTION

Cabinet Type Solar Drier consists of a rectangular box which is 100cm long, 50 cm broad and 35cm high, with a tilted upper lid. The drier, weighing around 50 kg, has a floor area of 5000 sq. cms. It has two special features -- first, a nylon wick to collect and discharge condensed water; second, a detachable metallic hanger, fitted in the middle of the cabinet, to increase the drier-efficiency by about 10 per cent. 

WORKING

To operate it, the drier is kept in an open space with its longitudinal axis in the east-west direction, the tilted cover facing the south. The material to be dried is closely spread over the 4 trays provided for the purpose. The side doors are then closed. Once every morning, the drier is opened; the material remixed; and the position of the trays interchanged. 

ADVANTAGES

SOURCE

The Director, National Institute of Oceanography, Goa