A Ministry-level scientific project titled “Research on Solar Energy Drying Equipment” has been put into application, specifically a solar dryer that a lychee farmer in Bac Giang province is using for this year’s lychee harvest. This dryer has addressed the shortcomings of traditional charcoal drying methods.
According to Dr. Pham Ngoc Trinh: “I had the idea to research a solar dryer because I noticed that the sunlight here is abundant. This drying method is based on the principle of utilizing solar energy, storing heat, and blowing hot air to dry the lychee fruits.”
The amount of lychee that can be dried depends on the capacity of each dryer. The important factor is that the temperature at every point within the dryer is uniform, ensuring that when the lychee reaches the desired dryness, they all maintain the same quality.
Mr. Nguyen Van Lieu, from Ba Go village, Nghia Phuong commune, Luc Nam district, Bac Giang, shared: “This type of dryer is easy to use, and the quality of the fruits is better— the lychee skin is flexible and has a beautiful yellow color. We have already received large orders from customers to export to Europe.”
The creator of the dryer, Dr. Pham Ngoc Trinh, further stated that he plans to continue researching ways to increase productivity and reduce costs by transferring the technology for thermal collector installation, allowing farmers to build their own dryers. This approach is expected to cut costs by half, enabling more farmers to access this new technology.
