Source: JUA TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL LLC submitted to NRP
SMART MULTIPURPOSE SOLAR DEHYDRATION DEVICE FOR VALUE ADDITION TO SPECIALTY CROPS
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
SMALL BUSINESS GRANT
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1028944
Grant No.
2022-33610-37927
Cumulative Award Amt.
$600,000.00
Proposal No.
2022-04554
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Sep 15, 2022
Project End Date
Sep 14, 2024
Grant Year
2022
Program Code
[8.12]- Small and Mid-Size Farms
Recipient Organization
JUA TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL LLC
12965 FEATHERBELL BOULEVARD
CARMEL,IN 460328399
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Phase II USDA-SBIR project is to develop efficient crop dehydrators (dryers) powered by solar energy for the preservation of vital nutrients and shelf-life in dried foods. Drying is one of the oldest and cost-effective ways of preserving nutrients and increasing shelf-life in foods. It is one of the major energy intensive processes where huge operating costs are incurred in operating food dehydrators, which are typically powered by gas, electricity or fuel oil. The high operating cost limits the ability of small and mid-sized growers and processors in the U.S. in producing dehydrated foods. Small growers and processor are vital to the growing local foods and urban agriculture industry, which is currently a $1 billion industry in the United States. Dehydration of foods such as fruits and vegetables, herbs and spices, medicinal plants, etc. still occur using primitive open sun-drying methods on mats or trays that degrade nutrients and reduce food quality. While there are a lot of solar dryer designs available in the literature and online, none of them have been commercialized and being utilized in large numbers.The overall goal of Phase II project is to build upon the progress made in Phase I and the successful proof-of-concept toward product design improvements and design for manufacture of the multipurpose solar dryer, Dehymeleon™ (beta prototyping).JUA Technologies International (JTI) proposed high-efficiency smart multipurpose solar dehydrator fits into USDA-NIFA SBIR Small and Midsized Program priorities in the development of new agricultural enterprises, manufacturing energy efficient technology for the dehydration of foods, and use of renewable energy by: (1) improving methods of processing specialty crops to improve quality, nutritional value and provide a healthy food choice; (2) enabling small and mid-size growers add value to their crops and thus increase their farm income; (3) providing small and mid-sized growers with an affordable technology, which is powered by renewable energy, conserves energy and thus reducing operating cost; and (4) providing an energy efficient technology that promotes renewable energy use on-farm and supporting environmental sustainability.
Animal Health Component
50%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
0%
Applied
50%
Developmental
50%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
50152992020100%
Knowledge Area
501 - New and Improved Food Processing Technologies;

Subject Of Investigation
5299 - Agricultural supplies, general/other;

Field Of Science
2020 - Engineering;
Goals / Objectives
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Phase II USDA-SBIR project is to develop efficient crop dehydrators (dryers) powered by solar energy for the preservation of vital nutrients and shelf-life in dried foods. In Phase II, we will build upon the progress made in Phase I by implementing severalproof-of-concepts toward product design improvements and design for manufacture of the multipurpose solar dryer, Dehymeleon™. In order to achieve the project goals, we would pursue the following R & D tasks, namely:Task 1: Modeling and simulation to optimize performance of solar dehydrator device.Task 2: Determine the behavior and performance of the desiccant and heat recovery system under various drying regimes/loadsTask 3: Determine the field performance/validate modeling effort in Task 1 of the high-efficiency solar dehydrator device for selected specialty crops: fruits (apples, blueberries, apricots), vegetables (tomato, carrots, hops), spices and herbs in Indiana and California.Task 4: Product development for manufacture (beta prototyping).
Project Methods
The project has four tasks, which would be addressed by engineering and R&D teams of JUA Technologies International and contracted manufacturing and design firms.

Progress 09/15/22 to 09/14/24

Outputs
Target Audience:Small and mid-size growers of specialty (horticultural) crops, development organizations, NGOs, governments, off-grid homesteaders, etc. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The project hired 3 interns from Purdue University - two undergraduate students and one graduate student. They all one on product development, development of an app, and testing of solar drying equipment. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? The project tasks 1, 2 and 4 were addressed by product development engineering and R&D efforts of JUA Technologies International and product engineering/manufacturing firm. The product design/development was scoped/accomplished into the following phases listed below: • Phase 1 Requirements Concept Dev (Year 1 of SBIR Phase II) • Phase 2 Design Engineering Dev / Prototyping (Year 2 of SBIR Phase II) Design Phase 1 (Requirements/Concept Development): The following tasks were accomplished in this phase: 1. Reviewed existing mechanical, electrical and software design. 2. Suggestions made on improvement areas, summary of technical challenges/risks, including cost reduction options and future product enhancements. 3. Reviewed human factors and product use. 4. Proposed system architecture change options. 5. Completed concept design work including material and production process alternatives. 6. Product cost, for agreed target production volumes. 7. Created a draft Product Design Requirements Specification. 8. Provided a fully costed proposal for full product design for manufacture. Design Phase 2 (Design Engineering Dev / Prototyping): Design engineering/prototyping involved the following activities: 1. Testing of Phase I prototype, its redesign and refinement of prototype 2. Development of the control algorithm for the solar dryer device 3. Development of app for both portable solar dryer, Dehytray and Dehymeleon devices 4. Development of design requirements for the Dehymeleon device 5. Design for manufacturing the Dehymeleon device 6. Prototyping of the Dehymeleon device at three scales, namely - 15%, 50% and alpha prototype (100%).

Publications


    Progress 09/15/22 to 09/14/23

    Outputs
    Target Audience:This report is for NIFA program managers and directors. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?In Year 2, we would complete the first three phases developed and outlined by JTI and Pivot engineers - Phase 1: requirements / concept development, Phase 2: design engineering development, and Phase 3: prototyping and testing and certification. Two of the key deliverables will be a detailed solid and interactive engineering model of the Dehymeleon™, which would be utilized to run pre-marketing campaigns, and manufacture a full-sized actual prototype (at least 2 units), which would be tested in collaboration with key potential partners. During Year 2, we would also pursue external investment or pre-sale campaigns for the purpose of raising funds to support Phases 4 (manufacturing - pilot and production) and 5 (service and support).

    Impacts
    What was accomplished under these goals? In Year I of this SBIR, a team of JTI engineers worked with an engineering design and manufacturing company (Pivot International, Inc.) to develop the product requirements and develop the concept of the final product, Dehymeleon™[1]. The team also laid out the map for the phases from concept development to final product manufacturing. In Year 2, we would complete the first three phases developed and outlined by JTI and Pivot engineers - Phase 1: requirements / concept development, Phase 2: design engineering development, and Phase 3: prototyping and testing and certification. Two of the key deliverables will be a detailed solid and interactive engineering model of the Dehymeleon™, which would be utilized to run pre-marketing campaigns, and an actual prototype (2 units), which would be tested in collaboration with key potential partners. During Year 2, we would also pursue external investment or pre-sale campaigns for the purpose of raising funds to support Phases 4 (manufacturing - pilot and production) and 5 (service and support). [1] The Dehymeleon™ product tradename has been registered with the US Patent and Trade Office by JTI.

    Publications