This website provides a collection of tools to design energy-efficient small-scale flash-dryers for production of cassava starch or flour. These tools were developed by the CGIAR RTB program since 2013 to improve current designs and thus improve the efficiency of rural and peri-urban cassava processing industries. Here you will find:
- Tools to calculate the optimum dimensions of each component of a flash dryer, based on the target production capacity and local availability of cassava.
- Tool to assess the financial viability of a cassava starch/flour processing investment project, based on costs of raw materials and selling price of the product (flour or starch).
- Diagnosis tool to assess the energy efficiency of existing flash dryers, and identify options to upgrade the equipment. (Read more)
Our team can answer short technical questions on flash dryers, please see our CONTACT page to get in touch. For more in-depth enquiries, contact us for further information on fee-based consulting services.
Small-scale flash drying is a promising technology to meet increasing demand for high-quality cassava flour (HQCF) and starch in many tropical countries. The technology significantly reduces fungal and dust contaminations and reduces health risks for consumers compared to conventional sun-drying. However, the configuration and operating conditions of current flash dryers are sub-optimal, leading to high energy use and production costs. Recent innovations by CGIAR RTB cut energy use by 50%, resulting in efficient flash drying to support the sustainable expansion of small-scale cassava processing industries. To date, these innovations have been successfully tested with a pilot-scale flash dryer, then with commercial-scale flash dryers in Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria and Tanzania. In this video, project partners from Africa and Latin America explain their expectations and challenges regarding small-scale flash dryers, during a training workshop held at the Alliance Bioversity & CIAT (Cali, Colombia, August 2019).
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