Drying of bananas through geothermal steam, Berlin geothermal field, El Savador

Abstract

Geothermal energy can be used both for the generation of electricity and for its direct use in many applications, such as the drying of food e.g. fish and fruit, as well as space heating and greenhouses. El Salvador has explored geothermal resources since the 1970s. In order to make good use of these resources, a study was conducted to analyse some techniques for drying different fruits in different countries, techniques available for drying and the most used. With the study of similar cases, it will be determined which is the best technique to apply in the drying of bananas in El Salvador. The study will be applied to the geothermal field of Berlin in El Salvador, which has abundant banana fruits and a geothermal resource with temperatures between 138 and 184°C that is used in a binary cycle and can also be used for drying bananas.