RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF DRYING SYSTEM WITHOUT WOODEN FUEL FOR DRYING TOBACCO IN VIETNAM

Abstract

Drying is the most important stage in tobacco processing because it determines tobacco's colour, taste, and micronutrients. In Vietnam, tobacco is often dried in manual wood-burning kilns with low efficiency, so in the tobacco harvest season, there are cases of over-exploitation of forests in some localities for firewood. To solve the above problem, this paper presents the research and manufacture of a high-performance firewood-free tobacco drying system. The drying system is calculated appropriately in terms of energy and can accurately control two important parameters in the drying process, including temperature and humidity, suitable for each drying stage. In addition, the new drying system also has a high degree of automation, which reduces labour and creates more stable quality drying products. Analysis of the quality of dried products from the new system shows that they are better than the traditional systems. With low energy costs and good quality of dried products, the new drying system has the potential to replace the old systems to improve the quality of dried products and limit deforestation in some areas.