Diseño de la cadena de deshidratación post-cosecha para conservar frutas de exportación: diseño del horno de pre-secado para remover el contenido de agua por radiación solar.

Abstract

The main objective of this research work is the design of a pre-drying oven to reduce the water content in fruits before their complete dehydration process in a gas dehydrating oven, which will be designed in another project. An exhaustive compilation of information on food dehydration, the most exported fruits in Ecuador, technologies related to solar ovens and simulation software was carried out. A market study was carried out, which allows to have an idea of what the companies offer to the users, later with this information a deployment of the quality function was carried out, considering the client's requirements. Then the modular scheme corresponding to the equipment is presented, from which different alternatives can be obtained from which the ideal ones for the design of the oven will be chosen. In addition, a mass balance was made for the pre-drying oven and the calculation of the heat necessary to pre-dry the amount of product requested, in this way the design of the solar collector, the thermal and structural design is carried out. computer simulation. Finally, a cost analysis and the elaboration of plans are carried out, being essential parts of the work, allowing a more detailed vision of the components of the pre-drying kiln, in addition to estimating its cost for its future construction.