Design and Development of Solar Food Dehydrator Made of Recycled Materials

The project is based on fabricating a Solar Food Dehydrator made of recycled materials. The dehydrator was made using simple techniques and recycled materials such as beverage cans and reclaimed wood. The unit can be reconstructed. The portable dehydrator works on a simple principle. Performance tests revealed that the temperatures inside the dehydrator were much higher than the ambient temperature that aided the dehydration process. The advantage of a solar dehydrator is that it is more hygienic, and avoids contamination by dust, airborne molds, fungi, insects, rodents, or animals. The dried fruits and vegetables are healthier as drying preserves nutrients and enzymes and uses no additives or preservatives. Besides food, the dehydrator may be used to dry other materials. Solar dehydrators have no additional fuel expenses; thus, they support using non-renewable energy sources for drying.