Hi again,
Since the previous update, we have made a lot of progress. The building phase is coming to an end, and there is now a near functional Cooling Chamber! Sadly things took longer than expected, and there is just not enough time to build a solar dryer. For our remaining time here in Wenchi, we want to focus on exhibiting the cooling chamber to the local community and explain how it works.
The cooling chamber consists of an inside and outside frame, each having 4 parts. When all parts were welded together and properly painted, it was time to attach them together. the inner frame was already connected and the watering system was attached. then it was time to move everything to the field.
On the field, we attached a water source to level all the drip lines, which took some work. After this, it was time to fill it with charcoal! Very satisfying to finally see everything come together.
When first turned on the water we could feel the room cool down, very COOL! We are now fine-tuning the cooling chamber and making sure that it is easy to use.
On the 21st of January, we have planned a farmer field day, where local farmers and stakeholders will be invited to explain the benefits of this technology. Together with a build-and-use manual, we want to make sure that this technology not only benefits the agricultural school but also works as an example for other farmers who want to minimize their post-harvest losses in the future.
