Diseño del secador de maíz utilizando materiales de los entornos rurales para la parroquia San José de Chazo.

This research aimed to design a corn dryer using accessible materials from the rural parish of San José de Chazo, Ecuador, to optimize the drying process and preserve the quality of the grain. Traditional sun drying in this community faces delays, vulnerability to weather conditions, and contamination by pests and fungi. To resolve these limitations, a proposed dryer that uses eucalyptus wood, abundant in the area, for the structure and 304 stainless steel for the trays was selected for their technical characteristics. The methodology was experimental, comparing traditional drying with that of the new dryer design. Observation and surveys of farmers evaluated the needs and availability of materials. The prototype was designed in SolidWorks, and its functionality was validated with tests that demonstrated a significant reduction in drying time to 10 hours with a final humidity of 13% without compromising the quality of the corn grain. The costs indicated that the dryer is more economical than industrial ones since 70% of its structure is made with local materials. Additionally, the design improves the sustainability of the drying process and promotes food safety by allowing better storage of corn. In conclusion, the project not only optimizes the process and improves the quality of corn but also offers a replicable solution for other rural communities with limited resources.

• Autor principal: Guashco Cujilema, Luz Margarita (author)
• Otros Autores: Tenemaza Pirca, Deysi Yolanda (author)
• Formato: bachelorThesis
• Lenguaje: spa
• Publicado: 2025
• Materias: Secador de maíz; Materiales rurales; Optimización de secado; Parroquia San José de Chazo
• Acceso en línea: http://dspace.unach.edu.ec/handle/51000/14666