The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech), an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture, has developed a prototype machine that uses a more efficient drying technology for palay (unmilled) rice called fluidized bed drying.
Tests conducted so far on the pilot Fluidized Bed Drying System has shown it can dry grains at a cost of only P0.63 per kilogram and has a capacity of 500 kilograms per hour. The Fluidized Bed Drying System developed by PhilMech runs on electricity.
“While still undergoing tests, the Fluidized Bed Drying System shows potential in drying palay more efficiently than present drying systems. Notably, the system uses an efficient drying system that has been in use in different industries,” said PhilMech Executive Director Rex L. Bingabing.
A typical fluidized bed drying system uses heated air to dry commodities like grains. During the fluidization process, hot air or gas flow is introduced through the bed of solid particulates. The gas or air will move upwards through the spaces between the particles.
Based on field tests conducted by PhilMech, the optimum drying time can be achieved in about two hours. The study where the results of the tests were discussed was authored by Bingabing and Reagan J. Pontawe, Nestor T. Asuncion, Roselyn B. Villacorte, and Romualdo C. Martinez all from PhilMech. The study’s title is “Fluidized Bed Drying System for Complete Drying of Paddy Phase II – Development of Fully-Automated Pilot-Scale System.”
Bingabing said the Fluidized Bed Drying System to dry grains is a product of the Agrinnovation Research and Development (R&D) approach where the PhilMech taps existing technologies to modify them for use in the country’s farms. Agrinnovation differs from the traditional R&D approach, which is to produce something out of nothing. Through PhilMech’s new approach, the agency is making something new out of an existing technology.
The Agrinnovation approach of PhilMech has resulted to the development of prototype models in six to 12 months compared to usual three to five years. Among the farm machineries developed under the Agrinnovation approach are: Coconut Water Pasteurizer; Tractor Mounted Combine Harvester; Onion Seeder; Compact Village Corn Mill; Brown Rice Huller; Cassava Digger; and Granulated Cassava Belt Dryer. # Source - (DA-PhilMech Communication Team)/www.da.gov.ph
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