Preserving agricultural products by 'hybridization' of drying technology

Combining heat pump technology and microwave ovens not only helps to extend storage and preserve the quality of agricultural products as originally, but also saves energy compared to other technologies.

Before the loss of agricultural products after harvest made it difficult for the products to compete on the international market, the Institute of Science and Technology of Cold Heat (Hanoi University of Science and Technology) implemented "Research, design and manufacturing system The drying system uses a combination of heat and microwave pumps to dry certain types of agricultural products, food and pharmaceuticals ".

After 5 years, scientists have succeeded in creating a relatively new method in Vietnam and the most feasible evaluation for preserving agricultural products.

Microwave and heat pump drying technology has been tested on products of a company in Thai Binh.(Photo: Dinh Hoan).

In particular, heat pump technology has the advantage of low drying temperature, cost as well as much less energy consumption than vacuum or sublimation drying. This method helps fresher products by preserving useful vitamins and organic compounds, while preserving the natural colors and flavors, especially with products containing essential oils, flowers, and pharmaceuticals.

With microwave technology, the product will dry evenly throughout the volume and shorten the drying time. This is also an outstanding advantage of microwave drying technology compared to hot and cold drying.

Dr. Vu Huy Khue, chairman of the project, said that the successful " hybridization" of two technologies has helped the research team create a drying method to maintain outstanding advantages, increase product quality, and more Significant energy savings compared to using each technology separately.

Although there are some drying systems combined with heat pump, microwave and vacuum drying, there are good results, but according to experts, this method has a high cost, so microwave heat-drying drying is the most feasible. It is also a trend that is being researched by the world's developed countries.

Next time, Dr. Khue and his colleagues will transfer technology to enterprises in the form of package or training and association with enterprises manufacturing and assembling similar systems with different capacity ranges. .