Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Photo voltaic Power Methods (ISE) has demonstrated how a solar-powered refrigeration unit and dryer may be self-sustaining and enhance meals safety in Kenya.
From pv journal International 04/23
In some elements of Africa, as much as 30% of agricultural or marine merchandise, reminiscent of greens and fish, are broken on their method to market because of a scarcity of refrigeration or preservation services. That is due, largely, to the shortage of correct electrical energy infrastructure in rural areas.
With the SolCoolDry cooperative venture, Fraunhofer ISE has developed a facility for solar-assisted ice manufacturing and the photo voltaic drying of meals, in collaboration with the German firm Innotech Ingenieursgesellschaft mbH. Within the venture, funded by the German Federal Company for Agriculture and Meals, Fraunhofer ISE collaborated with the state analysis physique the Kenya Industrial Analysis and Improvement Institute (KIRDI), the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Analysis Institute, and the Technical College of Mombasa. .
The objective of the venture is to supply help to the native folks and to develop a system that they’ll function on their very own. Since February 2023, the system is collectively operated by KIRDI and the Seaside Administration Unit, an affiliation of native fishermen, mangrove planters, agricultural and seaweed farmers, and beekeepers.
The core of the SolCoolDry system consists of a 15 kWp rooftop photovoltaic system and a 19.2 kWh lithium nickel, manganese, cobalt (NMC) battery. Three PV inverters feed electrical energy from the rooftop to a three-phase grid, which is powered by standalone battery inverters. The inverters additionally recharge the battery with extra solar energy, when wanted.
The flake ice machine and the ice storage room are powered by the minigrid. Whereas the ice machine runs on photo voltaic vitality alone, throughout the day, 550 kg of ice may be made. So as to use the bottom water out there within the space, and thus be unbiased of exterior water provide, a water remedy system is presently being developed.
The SolCoolDry system additionally has two photo voltaic tunnel dryers the place the air is heated and distributed to the dry merchandise by followers all through the day. To proceed drying in a single day, one of many tunnel dryers has heating pipes. It’s given warmth from 12 m2 flat-plate thermal collector and a 2,000 liter sizzling water storage tank.
Sustainable operation
The extreme journey restrictions imposed on the peak of the Covid pandemic posed a problem for Fraunhofer’s German and Kenyan venture crew, making it inconceivable for the German companions to arrange the system on website. Consequently, Fraunhofer ISE as an alternative created a video tutorial, which enabled the Kenyan venture companions to arrange the system largely on their very own; an fascinating studying course of for each side.
After Fraunhofer’s electrical commissioning, the system was formally handed over to native companions. A technician, presently being skilled, will make sure the secure operation of the venture sooner or later. The person price for the dryer and the revenue from the sale of the ice will cowl the upkeep of the plant to make sure the continuation of the venture. Fraunhofer ISE may also proceed to observe the plant’s efficiency. The info generated will likely be recorded in a monitoring system to allow distant analysis. This side is necessary for the extra help of native companions in instances of upkeep and restore.
Meals safety
By cooling and drying fish and meat, in addition to greens, fruits, and different merchandise, farmers and fishermen can keep away from spoilage and convey extra merchandise to market. The primary weeks of trial operation proved to be of nice curiosity within the working plant.
The SolCoolDry plant was properly obtained by the native inhabitants and the demand for ice was larger than initially anticipated. Some fishermen drive as much as 50 km to get the ice. Just like the ice machine, the drying plant additionally operates constantly and is used to dry meat, fish, fruits, greens, and flowers for making tea. Meals preservation allows farmers and fishermen to promote their produce out of season, thus making a safer revenue base and producing increased revenue. In further programs, fishermen will likely be skilled in high quality assurance and hygienic processing of their merchandise.
The SolCoolDry system is a “lighthouse” venture. There are only a few autonomous photo voltaic methods of this kind in Kenya up to now. Due to this fact, the curiosity within the know-how is excessive and the objective is to be taught from the operation of the system and to make suggestions for future installations.
Concerning the authors: Alexander Morgenstern and Norbert Pfanner venture managers of the SolCoolDry system for Fraunhofer ISE in Freiburg, Germany.
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