SunCooler development for the potato smallholders in Kenya
2018
Lukasse, Leo | Montsma, Matthijs | Wissink, Edo
Aim of this feasibility study is to make the SunCooler suitable for potato storage in Kenya. Upfront the perception is that that requires special focus on humidity management and energy consumption. Attention should be paid to both technique (equipment) and the way the technique is used (procedures). The key aspects of potato storage are discussed. The optimal storage conditions in terms of temperature, relative humidity and CO2 are listed and explained. Kenyan potato cultivars suitable for long(er) term storage are listed. To predict the required cooling capacity and the efficiency of solar panels climatological data are needed. These are listed. It is explained in depth why proper humidity management is important, but a humidifier is not necessary. In humidity management the focus should be on procedures: sorting of rots, dehydration of rots in the early stage of storage, and avoidance of condense. A number of aspects of energy efficiency are discussed, where the idea of just connecting a second hand reefer to a number of solar panels is challenged. The report concludes with an experiment design for test pilots. It is recommended to first profoundly test the basic functioning of the system in The Netherlands, before it is shipped to Kenya for field tests to collect feedback from end-users.
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