Much more control over your product and being able to store it longer. Thanks to condensation drying, growers are able to respond much better to market conditions. The technique was developed a few years ago by ENGIE Refrigeration.
Condensation drying creates a closed storage system for onions and potatoes, so that they are no longer dependent on weather conditions. There are now dozens of installations running and the results are clear.
Full control
Maximum control and constant storage conditions are the reasons why ENGIE has developed this system. Fluctuating weather conditions make it increasingly difficult to control product quality. With a closed storage system, you as a grower are in full control.
“We can now dry, cool and store independently of the outside air,” says Marcel Bennink, specialist in agriculture and horticulture at ENGIE. “Onions in particular have to be dried as soon as they come off the field. Condensation drying allows you to dry 24 hours a day, regardless of the outside air quality. In addition, this system makes it possible to lower the temperature much faster, while still drying your product.”
Less expansion of rot nests
Because the quality of the product remains the same for much longer due to the constant storage conditions, the margins on the product are still good at the end of the season, says Bennink. “In addition, the amount of residual waste is much smaller. Normally, rotten spots in tubers spread fairly quickly through the humid and warm climate in a storage cell where outside air is cooled. Because you can dry the products very quickly with this new system, the tubers with rotting spots dry out and there is much less spread of rot in the entire batch.”
Alternative to Germ Inhibitors
Condensation drying is also an interesting option for organic cultivation. “Because an organic grower already has fewer resources to keep his crops good (think of sprout inhibitors, which will soon be banned across agriculture and horticulture), he is very dependent on keeping his products cool.”
Bennink mentions onions as an example that you can dry with this system at a lower temperature. “So you really don't have to keep your onions at 20 degrees for weeks to be able to dry with outside air. You can drop in temperature faster and the temperature remains more constant. The product is very pleasant and you can see that in the quality. Even when the products come out of storage, they remain calm for much longer, despite the fact that no germ inhibitors are (or may be) used.”
Saving and making more sustainable
The investment in condensation drying is greater than for conventional cooling techniques. “However, you no longer need propane stoves and only use electricity. This not only saves costs, but also helps you to sustainability drive to make. You can then generate the electricity with solar panels, which allows you to realize significant energy savings. In addition, your product will yield more if the quality is higher. In this way, this installation becomes profitable very quickly.”