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The simplest solar dryers for fruits and vegetables. Do-it-yourself dryer for vegetables and fruits

A self-assembled dryer for vegetables and fruits will become an indispensable assistant for a summer resident during the harvesting and processing season. The global network and the experience of craftsmen offer many such projects, a small part of them can be found here.

With the help of a dryer, you can stock up on tasty and healthy preparations for the winter from meat, fish, mushrooms, herbs, vegetables and, of course, fruits.

Drying or curing fresh food is one of the oldest and still popular methods of preservation. Since people first thought about harvesting food for the future, many drying methods have been accumulated.

The first and earliest version of such harvesting is the use of solar energy. Its main advantage is the minimum cost. You will need inexpensive pan material and occasional agitation to keep the product from sticking together.

But there is a minus, which largely devalues all the advantages of this method. Requires even sunny weather, and there are not so many such days in our conditions.

A later, but also an old method, is the use of a Russian stove. Several bricks are laid inside, on which a baking sheet with greens, fruits, berries, mushrooms, and other fruits is placed. Alternatively, the same products are hung in bunches near the stove. However, in these conditions, the oven is not in every home.

With the advent of gas stoves, a similar principle of conservation began to be used in city apartments. A baking sheet or grate is installed in the oven, the process takes place on low heat with the door open. With all the pluses, you have to pay for gas, it's not too expensive, but still a minus for the family budget.

A more effective option is a homemade dryer, assembled from available funds according to one of the proven schemes. With this method, a number of nuances are observed, without which it is impossible to preserve the nutritional properties of any product. In this case:

an optimal temperature regime is provided, which removes moisture from fruits, meat or fish;
conditions are created for the necessary circulation of air flows, which eliminate excess moisture inside the drying chamber;
there is a rational organization of its internal space, which makes it possible to correctly place the maximum number of products;
everything that is inside the structure is reliably protected from insects, dust, and other external factors that can adversely affect the contents.

Wherein retains most of the vitamins and nutrients, minimizes the risk of botulism, the bacteria of which multiply in a humid environment, and reduces the risk of mold development.

Features of dryers

To ensure the above conditions and the desired result, a home-made drying unit must meet certain technical requirements:

inside it should be maintained at a temperature of no more than 70 ° C, this will ensure maximum dehydration, but will not allow overdrying;
the volume of the chamber must be calculated not only from the amount of products intended for harvesting, part of the space for free air circulation must be taken into account;
the design of the device should allow you to adjust the drying time, with self-assembly this can be achieved by simply moving the baking sheets closer to the source of heat or air currents.

If necessary and if possible, the device can be equipped with heaters and thermostats, electric fans, and other equipment that will make its use more efficient and comfortable.

Types of drying chambers

Do-it-yourself dryers are classified in the same way as their factory counterparts. First of all, they need to be divided into devices using solar energy and electrical apparatus equipped with heaters and fans. The first are different

simplicity of design;
require a minimum of special knowledge and experience during assembly;
economical in terms of materials needed for assembly and subsequent operation.

With all the variety of such devices, their design is generally of the same type. This is a cabinet of various sizes, usually made of wood, with ventilation holes, glass walls around the perimeter or on one side for heat to enter. Their counterparts using electricity have a more complex device. According to the principle of operation, they are divided into conventional electric dryers of the convective or infrared heating method and dehydrators, where the function of fine temperature adjustment is provided, which leads to complete dehydration of the product.

convective

In this embodiment, drying occurs with a directed flow of heated air. The design provides for a ten, which can be located above, below or in a horizontal plane.

The easiest way to make such an apparatus is to assemble the chamber, install a heater and a fan heater in it. However, the quality of processing becomes a victim of constructive simplicity. The fruits are dried on the outside, keeping moisture in the core. They are not suitable for long-term storage, as they quickly become moldy, creating a risk of botulism infection. This drawback can be minimized by a longer drying time, but this leads to the loss of a significant part of the useful properties and increases energy consumption.

infrared

These devices use infrared radiation, the effect of which is as close as possible to the sun. The impact occurs more evenly, vitamins and microelements are better preserved. Drying results are better suited for longer shelf life.

A serious plus in favor of this variety is low energy consumption. But here there is a higher risk of error, overdrying of products and loss of their beneficial properties.

It is more difficult to assemble such a device, you will have to choose a suitable infrared emitter and choose a scheme for its correct placement.

Translated into human language, installations of this type are called a dehydrator. It is for the maximum elimination of moisture that the design of these devices is designed. Despite the fact that conventional dryers are often called the same term, the difference between them lies in the presence of a thermostat that controls the temperature.

Thanks to such constructive improvements, drying takes place under optimal conditions in a tolerably short time. Such a device best suited for withering beef, pork or fish. Result: as free from moisture as possible, evenly dried, able to retain consumer properties until the next harvest and longer. But to assemble a dehydrator with your own hands, you can’t do it with improvised means, you will need additional equipment.

Necessary materials

You need to start making your own drying unit with a drawing and preparing the necessary tools. For the simplest designs, an approximate diagram is sufficient, more complex ones will require detailed study of individual elements of the device. The set of tools also depends on the complexity of the project, but most likely the mandatory items on the list will be:

hacksaw and planer;
different types of screwdrivers and a hammer;
drill and pliers;
soldering iron;
level;
paint brush.

Materials are also selected based on the project and the selected type of device. For the convective model you will need:

bars for the frame and sheets of plywood for sheathing;
the same materials are suitable for assembling trays;
fine mesh;
canopies for sashes and self-tapping screws for fasteners;
electric fans with shadows or 150 W incandescent lamps;
wire with a plug for connecting to the network.

For the case of an infrared device, the same materials are suitable, but instead of tenons or lamps with fans, you will need to purchase:

a film that is used to heat floors;
terminals, clamps and eyelets;
insulation in bituminous and PVC variants.

The simplest designs are assembled from a minimum set of components. These are all the same wooden materials for the case, in addition to which glass or polycarbonate is required.

Drying cabinet step by step

Since the solar and electric varieties of the dryer have enough design nuances, the assembly sequence of each of them must be considered separately.

Sunny

The simplest version of such a structure consists of a plywood case with glass doors and shelves inside. It is installed on the sunny side at an angle so that the heat affects the inner chamber as much as possible.

First you need to cut plywood sheets according to the required dimensions. Ventilation holes are cut out in the sheets that will be located at the top and bottom.
Next, the cabinet is assembled, fixing the joints with self-tapping screws, which are twisted into bars. Outside, racks are attached to the side walls, calculating the angle of inclination of the cabinet so that the sun covers the inner cavity as much as possible at noon.
The back side is sewn up with a metal sheet, which will enhance the thermal effect. The ventilation openings at the top and bottom are covered with a mosquito net.
On the side walls, from the inside, the supports under the shelves are screwed with self-tapping screws. They must be fastened at a pre-calculated angle, in accordance with the position of the cabinet.
When this stage of work is completed, the cabinet can be painted. The inside is necessarily painted over in black, which accumulates heat. External white, which is highly reflective.
While the paint dries, you can start assembling the trays. Their frame is assembled from bars with a mandatory cross member in the middle, which will strengthen the structure. The bottom of each tray is sewn up with a mesh, which will ensure a free flow of heated air.
For the front side, a frame is made, the dimensions of which must correspond to the perimeters of the cabinet. A sheet of polycarbonate or glass is fixed on top of it.
When the outer frame is ready and fixed in the working position, the dryer for fruits, vegetables, mushrooms and herbs is ready to work.

Electrical

To assemble the electrical version, you can not assemble the cabinet from scratch. An old cabinet or a small cabinet of sufficient size is quite suitable. Some craftsmen adapt old refrigerators for this purpose. Consider the option from the cabinet, as the easiest in terms of labor costs.

Depending on the location of the fan, the upper or lower plane of the bedside table must be provided with holes, the more such holes, the better the circulation of air flows. If its fixation is provided on the back side, ventilation holes are made in the door.
In the next step, we upholster the walls with material that will maintain the temperature regime.
Then, from the inside, we fasten the guides on which the trays will be located. We collect the latter from the rails and sew up with a mosquito net.
On the back side, we cut a hole with a diameter for a fan heater or a pair of holes for incandescent lamps. If an infrared heat source is supposed, we sheathe the back wall with a film prepared in advance. The cord for mains power is brought out.
To make a dehydrator out of a conventional dryer, add a thermostat to the circuit and bring the control elements out.
You can close the makeshift dryer with an old door, if it is not there or it does not fit, we assemble the simplest frame and sheathe it with plywood with a large number of holes. Do not forget to install a latch or hook so that the door does not open during work.
After that, it remains to place the assembled trays inside the chamber and the apparatus can be considered ready for testing.

As you can see, in order to build a dryer with your own hands, you do not need to make special efforts, and there are many benefits from this device. You can make a dryer yourself from scrap materials without spending a lot of money. Use our tips and instructions and enjoy vitamins at any time of the year.

The choice of drying method is determined by the scale of production, the climatic features of the area, the type of material to be dried and the cost of additional energy. The supply of heat to the material from the drying agent can be carried out by convection or by radiation, respectively, convective and radiation dryers are distinguished. In the first, the product is in contact with air heated by solar energy, in the second, the product is directly irradiated by the Sun, the temperature in dryers of this type reaches 60...75°C. Combined dryers can also be used, in which both types of heat exchange participate, but convection prevails, and the installation consists of an air heater and a drying chamber with transparent walls.

Natural drying of agricultural products has been used ubiquitously and for a long time, while the products are spread on the ground, hung under a canopy or placed on pallets. When air drying unprotected agricultural products, large losses occur due to incomplete drying, pollution, mold, bird pecking, insect damage, and rainfall.

The use of solar installations of the type " hot box» improves drying efficiency and reduces product loss. The drying time is significantly reduced and the quality of the product, including the preservation of vitamins, is improved. However, the utilization rate of solar dryers for agriculture is generally low. In some cases, they may only be used for a few weeks in a year. And this, of course, does not contribute to the achievement of high economic performance of solar dryers. At present, it is economically feasible to use solar dryers for drying hay. The situation is quite favorable when drying wood, fish, when using solar dryers in laundries.

Rice. 1. Solar dryer with direct irradiation of wet material:
1 - translucent insulation; 2 - platform for material; 3 - wall; 4 - thermal insulation; 5, 7 - holes; 6 - foundation.

There are solar dryers with direct and indirect action of solar energy. In installations of the first type, solar energy is absorbed directly by the product itself and the black-painted inner walls of the chamber in which the material to be dried is located. A solar dryer of this type is shown in fig. 1. It has a top translucent insulation, a perforated platform for placing the material to be dried, side walls (the south wall is made of translucent material), thermal insulation with air holes and a base. Holes are provided in the upper part of the northern wall to remove moist air from the solar dryer. Drying plants of the second type contain a solar air heater and a chamber or tunnel dryer. In the chamber solar dryer, air moves through the layer of material to be dried, placed on mesh pallets, from the bottom up, while in the tunnel dryer, the material moves on the conveyor belt in one direction, and the air moves countercurrently in the opposite direction.

Rice. 2. Chamber solar dryer with film heater:
1 - film air heater; 2 - air duct; 3 - drying chamber; 4 - lattice; 5 - visor; NE and BB - fresh and humid air.

Consider examples of the design of chamber solar dryers. A simple dryer using a polymer film can be made according to Fig. 2. She runs on natural draft. The air is heated in a film solar air heater and enters the lower part of the drying chamber through the air duct, where wet material is placed on perforated pallets (grids, grates). Heated air moves in the drying chamber from the bottom up through the layer of material and is removed from the chamber through the gap between the upper edge and the visor. The walls of the drying chamber can be thermally insulated or made of translucent material. The film air heater is made of a polymer film stretched over a wire frame. The upper surface of the heater is made of a transparent film, and the lower surface is made of black (Fig. 3, a). It can also be made in the form of two cylindrical surfaces - outer transparent and inner black (Fig. 3, b).

Rice. 3. Film air heater made of transparent (1) and black (2) polymer film.

The forced air solar chamber dryer is shown in fig. 4. It includes:

air heater;
drying chamber;
fan.

Rice. 4. Chamber solar dryer with fan and corrugated air heater absorber:
1 - air heater; 2 - drying chamber; 3 - fan; 4 - heat-insulated housing; 5 - translucent insulation; 6 - absorber; 7 - air duct; 8 - support; 9 - visor.
In the heat-insulated case of the air heater with translucent insulation there is a blackened ray-absorbing surface made of corrugated metal. Hot air through a heat-insulated air duct enters the drying chamber with perforated trays for the material to be dried, which is mounted on supports and covered with a visor from above.

On fig. 5 shows another design of a solar dryer with natural draft, which differs in the type of air heater. In a galvanized iron body with thermal insulation, there are two sections of the matrix type air collector. The housing has an opening for outside air and translucent insulation. Solar energy is absorbed in a matrix, which is 2 rows of black-painted metal grids with steel shavings between them. It can also be made from several layers of black mesh. The heated air enters the drying chamber, which has a tapering shape and a series of nets on which the wet material is placed. To supply air under each layer of material, vertical partitions are provided in the chamber, forming the necessary gaps for air. The top of the chamber is covered with a visor.

Rice. 5. Solar dryer with porous air heater absorber:
1 - air heater housing; 2 - glazing; 3 - porous beam-absorbing nozzle; 4 - drying chamber; 5 - lattice for material; 6 - partition; 7 - visor.

The described solar dryer has a high efficiency. The efficiency of the collector reaches 75% due to the high air flow, and the pressure loss is up to 250 Pa. Payback period - up to 5 years.

Rice. 6. Film solar dryer:
1 - transparent polymer film; 2 - black film on the flooring for product placement; 3 - thermal insulation; 4 - side walls.

A simple and cheap solar dryer can be made from a transparent and black polymer film stabilized against UV radiation (Fig. 6). A 0.1 m thick polyethylene film is stretched over a wooden frame, and the bottom is a black polyethylene film (0.1 mm) laid on a layer of husk 75 mm thick, which serves as thermal insulation. The side walls below are sprinkled with earth, the length and width of the collector are 30 and 4.6 m, respectively. layers 150 mm thick.

Another design of a high-efficiency solar dryer for various agricultural products is shown in Fig. 7. The air collector is made from separate modules with an area of 5 m 2, which, when assembled, form panels that are installed in an inclined position on the roof of the barn. Inside the shed are:

horizontal chute or vertical hopper for wet material;
fan;
air distribution chamber.

Rice. 7. Solar dryer with modular type air heater:
1 - air heater module; 2 - drying chute; 3 - fan; 4 - air distributor; 5 - air duct.

The air solar collector panels are connected to the fan with an air duct. The radiation-absorbing surface of the air collector is a porous matrix that captures solar radiation and has an extremely developed contact surface for air heating. The side and rear walls of the galvanized iron housing are thermally insulated. Translucent insulation - made of a special durable polymer material, resistant to ultraviolet radiation, with high transmittance for solar radiation.

Typically, modules 4.2 wide and 2.5 m long are connected in series. Two panels 14.5 m long are attached to one fan that drives air through this solar collector. So, for a solar dryer with a solar collector surface area of 120 m 2, one 3.5 kW fan is sufficient, the dryer capacity is 800 kg of raw or 400 kg of dried product per day with an average daily solar radiation flux density of 19 mJ / m 2 per day. The grain is placed in a horizontal chute blown with heated air. Similar installations can be used for drying corn and other grains, tobacco leaves.

To dry grain in a ventilated horizontal chute or vertical bin, heated air can be used, the temperature of which is only 2...3°C (with a layer height of up to 4 m) or 5...15°C (in a layer up to 1 5 m) above ambient temperature. The layer height is limited due to the danger of water vapor condensation in the upper part of the layer, especially on cloudy days with high air humidity.

For drying green fodder and hay, the following methods can be used:

drying with hot air (300°С) or warm (40...80°С);
ventilation with slightly heated air (0 ... 10 ° C);
ventilation with unheated outside air and drying of hay on the ground in natural conditions.

The energy consumption of drying hay using solar energy is less than that of a dryer running on liquid fuel, and is approximately equal to the energy consumption of drying with unheated air. The system uses an air solar energy collector, in which the air temperature rises by 20°C on a bright sunny day and 1°C on an overcast cloudy day. At the same time, the moisture content of hay decreases by 5% on a cloudy day. As a collector of solar energy, an ordinary glazed solar collector or the roof of the building itself can be used, under which the bottom of the solar collector is mounted and the air is circulated by a fan.

Timber timber can be dried in a thermally insulated chamber with a volume of 65 m 3, in which up to 10 m 3 of material is placed on a trolley; with the help of fans, air is circulated in a closed circuit; the air is heated in a collector with an area of 75 m 2 .

Just keep turning

Summer residents usually dry the surplus of their crops in stove ovens for harvesting, which requires constant monitoring of the process: a little distraction and everything will burn. There is another significant disadvantage in this method - the increased (depending on the type of stove) consumption of gas or electricity.

Alternatively, many gardeners lay out their trophies in the sun on sheets of plywood or cardboard on hot days.

But even here there are great inconveniences: firstly, all this takes up a lot of space, and secondly, constant supervision is again needed, because either the sheets will be knocked over by a gust of wind, or the rain will suddenly splash, or the birds will descend to feast on a freebie ...

Anatoly Andreevich Gnatchenko in his article "" spoke about a device that can be easily made from improvised materials.

But it seemed to me that it, even empty, would turn out to be too bulky and heavy. And if you load fruits and berries into it to the full, then alone (especially for the elderly) such a drying box can no longer be moved.

Yes, and the technical solution of the protective casing (the author suggested using a rigid metal mesh) and its fastening to the box can hardly be called convenient either. Therefore, last year I made my own version of a solar dryer, eliminating the design flaws described above:

And first of all, I, it seems to me, picked up the most optimal dimensions of the structure, which thereby determined its low weight - 90 × 60 cm. another with the help of self-cutting screws and a screwdriver.

And I made the back wall of the frame from a fiberboard sheet, which, for the mechanical strength of the entire structure, was sheathed with sheet iron (although you can do without it).

To close the front of the dryer, I nailed plastic corners along the outer edges of the sides of the frame and the bottom board with the gap necessary for further installation of glass. The glass itself took the usual, window, 3-4 mm thick. First, I cut it out entirely - 60 × 95 cm. On the one hand, there is less fuss with such glass - you immediately open or close the entire box. On the other hand, you need to make an effort to insert it into the grooves every time. Therefore, as an option, you can cut the glass into sections 30-35 cm wide, or replace it with polycarbonate, fiberglass or even film.

Since the temperature in the dryer reaches 70 ° in the sun, I drilled five holes with a diameter of 20 mm in the bottom and top boards of the frame for air circulation. Thanks to uniform blowing, in two or three days, with regular stirring, the contents of the dryer reach full condition.

I made pallets for drying from galvanized mesh with a cell of 70 × 70 mm, bending its edges to prevent fruits from rolling off it and to make the structure rigid. The geometric dimensions of the grid depend on the width of the side boards of the frame and the installation angle of the dryer in relation to the sun, which is approximately 30° relative to the horizon.

Under this degree, on the side boards, I nailed wooden glazing beads with a section of 1.5 cm, on which I installed five pallets.

From two shtaketins 1 m long, I made the supporting legs of the dryer. From each of them I sawed off fragments of 20 cm, which I fixed to the side boards with self-tapping screws, - the lower support legs turned out. And I also fixed their longer parts to the side boards of the frame with the help of bolts and washers - these will already be folding support legs that allow you to install the dryer at any angle to the sun's rays.

Convenient and profitable

The solar dryer is stable even with a fairly strong wind; when it rains, it can be covered with a film, oilcloth or transferred under a canopy. It is very profitable to have such a dryer in the country, because the fruits can be dried starting in July, since there are plenty of warm sunny days at this time.

When drying fruits in this way, vitamins are preserved much more than in the oven. I will not be mistaken that someone who cooks dried fruits in the oven at least in the amount of 5-10 kg consumes 100 kW. And this at a rate of 3 rubles per kilowatt gives a total of about 300 rubles. If we also take into account that the cost of electricity is constantly growing, then the value of the dryer I proposed is also increasing.

But the most important thing is that it is trouble-free, durable, does not require special care, takes up little space, for the winter it can be raised to the attic of the house, put in a barn, in a garage, under a stationary canopy, after wrapping it from dust and moisture with a film, or sew it for her special case.

Last year, I dried all kinds of raw materials for 5 kg in it for various compotes, and candied fruits from apple and pear - it turned out unmeasured, I didn’t even weigh all this stuff. In such a dryer, you can also dry other garden crops, as well as dry freshly semolina and lightly salted small fish. It is also suitable for drying hawthorn, wild rose and, of course, mushrooms. Pallets are well washed with a sponge and do not rust.

If the dryer is placed with its "back" to the sun's rays or covered with a sheet of cardboard, then medicinal herbs, raspberry leaves, currants, mint, and lemon balm can be dried in it.

As you can see, dear gardeners, this dryer will be indispensable for fulfilling the mass of fantasies that you have.

And one more thing: colleagues, you have enough time to purchase the necessary materials and make such or similar environmentally friendly solar dryer; from pure wood, economically justifying the cost of paying for electricity. Have a good harvest in the leap year 2016 at your dachas!

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Dried fruits and vegetables are a storehouse of vitamins and pectins. So, if you make a supply of them in the summer, you can enjoy all these gifts of nature in the winter. Of course, you can buy fresh vegetables and fruits in the store, because today this is not a problem, but a large number of summer residents try to make their harvest last until winter, preserving or drying it. So, let's look at several design options in which drying can be done. By the way, we add that a do-it-yourself dryer for vegetables and fruits is a reality.

General fixture device

It should be noted that today summer residents use three types of dryers, which are based on different drying principles.

Use of airflow movement. In principle, the device of this device is a box, inside which grids are stacked one above the other, chopped fruits or vegetables are placed on them. On the side of the box, one or two holes are made into which fans are inserted. With their help, blowing occurs.
The use of the sun. This is a box-shaped chamber, set at an angle so that the sun's rays always fall on the pallets where fruits and vegetables are placed. The front of the device is often covered with glass or mesh. Experts recommend not using a metal case in this type of dryer. It gets very hot under the influence of sunlight and begins to exude a lot of heat energy itself, which negatively affects the quality of dried fruit.
Dryer with infrared heating element. In principle, this is all the same as the solar variety. Only instead of sunlight (free of charge), ultraviolet rays are used here, which are emitted, for example, by a special film connected to a transformer. Very efficient design that dries quickly and efficiently. But of all the above, it is the most expensive. True, the pluses include the fact that the design of the dryer itself can be simplified to a minimum. No drawer or camera is required here, just place mesh shelves and direct UV rays from the heating element onto them.

Related article: How to calculate the number of radiators per room?

Use for airflow motion drying

Manufacturing rules

It is not difficult to make a fruit dryer with your own hands. Any design resembling a box is suitable for this. For example, it can be a cabinet from a kitchen set or an element of a wardrobe, you can make it from a refrigerator or a hob, or rather, from its oven. And you can assemble a box from improvised materials: plywood, chipboard, fiberboard and so on.

Let's look at a homemade dryer. This will require four identical sheets, for example, plywood, wooden slats with a section of 30x30 and 20x20 mm, self-tapping screws, a mosquito net.

First of all, the box frame is assembled, for which it is necessary to connect 30x30 mm bars together into a structure that will look exactly like a box in appearance.
Then, on three sides, the frame is sheathed with plywood sheets, which are pre-cut to fit the dimensions of the frame. On one of them it is necessary to make holes (one above the other in a vertical plane), in which fans will need to be installed. Installation can be carried out immediately or after the assembly of the entire structure.
A fourth sheet is hung on the fourth side, in which a large number of holes with a diameter of 8-10 mm must first be made. The bigger, the better. Through them, air will be removed, which is driven by fans. By the way, a wall with fans is installed opposite the dryer door.
Now we need to make the shelves. They are made from slats 20x20 mm, they should be rectangular and slightly less than the width of the drying equipment. This frame is stuffed with a mosquito net using a stapler and staples; you can also use an adhesive composition. The number of shelves is determined by the height of the dryer. There should be a distance of 10-15 cm between them.
Therefore, taking into account this distance, guides made of the same slats 20x20 cm are installed inside the apparatus (across). Shelves are laid on them.
It should be noted that in this design there is no need to install the bottom and ceiling. The air from the fans must be removed not only through the perforated door. By the way, the latter is hung on hinges and it makes no sense to create its tight connection to the box frame.
Now you need to install the fans, connect them to the AC mains, install the shelves, after laying out the chopped vegetables and fruits on them.
Everything is ready, you can turn on the fans and wait for the unfolded fruits to dry.

Related article: Do I need to do and how to make a crate for drywall

Dryer manufacturing scheme

Assembly of the solar dryer

A solar fruit dryer is an energy-saving option. Electricity or other type of fuel is not used here. But there is one point in this design, on which the efficiency of the process depends. This is the angle of inclination of the entire installation relative to the sun. That is, the sun's rays should maximally cover the volume in which vegetables or fruits are located.

Therefore, an ordinary box without a lid is assembled first. This is still the same wooden frame, finished with plywood or other sheets. Now this box must be installed at an angle, placing it on legs made of the same timber as the frame of the dryer. To understand what we are talking about, look at the photo below.

Now we need to make the shelves. They are made in the same way as in the case of the fan model. The main thing is to correctly install the guides under them in the box itself. Reiki should be stuffed horizontally.

In principle, everything is ready. You can install shelves in the dryer and lay out chopped gifts of nature on them.

A few nuances of assembling a solar dryer.

Holes must be made at the ends of the box so that air can pass through them. This is a kind of ventilation. The openings must be covered with a mosquito net so that insects do not get inside the installation.
The bottom of the device is best closed with a metal sheet. It will heat up and radiate its thermal energy, which will increase the efficiency of the drying process itself.
All internal planes of the device must be painted black. It is clear that it attracts the sun's rays, and white repels them.
The front part of the dryer must be covered with glass, it is possible with polycarbonate. The main thing is that the material used is transparent.

Vegetables and fruits should be cut into small and not very thick pieces.
If a fan dryer is used, then it is not necessary to immediately turn on the airflow. It is necessary that the cut lay in the dryer for 2-3 days.
The temperature regime is the main criterion for the correct drying process. 40-50C is the optimum temperature at which the maximum of vitamins and nutrients will remain in the dried products. Therefore, some summer residents cover the inner surfaces of the dryer with heat-insulating material. This is especially true if the device is made from an old refrigerator.
Shelves should only be mesh. It's just that air must constantly circulate in the interior space.

We offer you a solar drying option that does not consume electricity.

Many of us already use dryers to prepare food for the winter. much more environmentally friendly than freezing, as throughout the entire period of storage of products.

Modern dryers are very efficient and fast, but they also run on electricity.
Let's look at a simple compact drying that you can do at home.

Here is the front view. The lid is made of polycarbonate sheet. At the bottom there is a ledge for a stack of water. Bottom and back panel covered with black plastic

This is a side view. Again, the side is covered with a protective layer of polycarbonate. Side panel height (61 cm), width (71 cm). The shelves are staggered so each shelf gets some direct sunlight.