Diseño de secador y enfriador de granos de café destinado a la producción de café tostado para la asociación de emprendedores de la provincia de Manabí, cantón Chone, micro empresa Patu-Kfe

Abstract

In the Patu-Kfé micro-enterprise in the Chone canton, there has been a need to improve their production process and increase their output. Therefore, it was decided to design a drying and cooling system that meets the necessary expectations suggested by the association of entrepreneurs. The project was developed in several stages, beginning with a review of the historical and technical background of coffee bean dryers. Next, a comparative analysis of different design alternatives was detailed, evaluating criteria of processing capacity and process complexity. Using the best criteria, a model was selected, and the conceptual design of the drying and cooling system was carried out, taking into account important thermal and mechanical design factors. The material for each component was specified, calculations for the necessary heat were performed, sheet thicknesses were determined based on exerted stresses, and cost analyses were conducted. Finally, plans and technical specifications for the respective design elements were prepared. As the system is a prototype, the design can be further optimized based on future research. As a result, the implementation of this project theoretically increases production from 80 kg per day to 320 kg. Additionally, the system optimization based on simulation shows how heat is utilized, thanks to thermal insulation that considerably reduces heat loss compared to the currently operating model. The integration of a cooler into the prototype system also increases its coffee bean processing capacity.