Related Studies

Even in the summer months, sun drying is progressively becoming uncertain due to erratic weather
patterns brought about by climate change. Unexpected rainfall occur when least expected. The proper
drying of produce under the sun is now increasingly becoming untenable, contributing to poor quality
and even total loss of newly harvested paddy. However in 1970's, University of Philippines Los Baños
(UPLB) originally developed and introduced the modest and unremarkable 2-ton Flat Bed Paddy Dryer
(FBPD). Later on, it has been improved from the original design to higher capacity versions of six tons or
more by individuals and other agricultural institutions, to address the ever-growing need of rice
postharvest losses in the rural areas in the Philippines especially on rainy season.

Due to circumstances, the improvement of the machines to address its efficiency, cost-effectiveness,
availability, etc., is being made to ensure the quality of rice being dried using these machines. In doing
so, there will be no question that imported recirculating batch paddy dryers are efficient and
sophisticated, and the quality of the grain output from these dryers is very high. However, they also
require a certain level of expertise to operate and maintain. With its high level of sophistication comes a
high price; these machines are very expensive, and ordinary Filipino rice farmers can only dream of
owning one. In addition, most of these re-circulating batch dryers are equipped with kerosene-fired
furnaces, which account for their high operating costs. They also need electricity to function properly.
Flat bed dryers, on the other hand, can be installed or built even in areas where electricity is not
available using locally available materials and labor. Outfitted with any type of locally fabricated furnace
that use rice hull as their primary fuel, they can be operated reasonably and economically by anyone
using simple instructions that can be learned in as little as a few hours or at most, a day or two.

An example is the Philrice “Maligaya” flat bed dryer which uses an inclined grate furnace that is also
fueled by rice hull. Operational costs are therefore much lower compared to a re-circulating batch paddy
dryer. Designs are now being outfitted with a rice hull furnace that uses a cyclonic flyash and smoke
scrubber that produces clean and smokeless heating air.

The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) commercialized and introduced the “semi-automatic”
downdraft Rice Hull Furnace (dRHF). Its fuel feed system is controlled by an electronic timer/counter
that precisely measures how much and when the next load of ricehull fuel is going to the combustion
chamber of the furnace. This auto feed function eliminates the tedious and manual input of rice hull into
the furnace. Another type of furnace to be considered is Belonio gasifier, it also uses rice hull fuel to
produce heat. Initially, the gasifier converts rice hull into combustible gas through pyrolysis (using heat
to decompose organic materials in the absence of oxygen) and the resulting flame is smokeless and
clean, comparable to LPG in heating value and appearance.

The widespread adoption with proper utilization and promotion of simple FBPD technology can become
the solution of the recurring postharvest rice problem in the Philippines. Moreover, these furnaces can
operate off electrical grid. An electric dynamo can be attached to each system which in turn will power
electric motors and electronic components that run the mechanisms of the furnaces. Appropriate solar
power systems can likewise be used for this purpose.

FBPD technology is best suited to the Philippines. It is cheaper, locally manufactured, and maintained
using indigenous materials and labor compared to expensive and imported drying equipment. All of
these furnaces are fabricated out of indigenous and local materials.