Pilot Fruit Drier for the Los Azufres Geothermal Field, Mexico

Abstract

The region around the Azufres geothermal field is a large fruit producer, thus the local growers may be interested in constructing dehydration facilities at Azufres and to buy surplus heat from CFE. CFE is installing a small fruit drier to demonstrate the feasibility of drying fruit with geothermal water, and thus encourage private development on a larger scale. The pilot drier will be enclosed in a small building with room for two trucks (hand carts) each holding 30 one-meter square trays with a total capacity of approximately one tonne of wet fruit. The forced air heat exchanger and fan unit were designed for the high elevation (3000 m). Operation will begin in the summer of 1995.