Geothermal demonstration: Zunil food dehydration facility

Technical Report · Thu Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5493998· OSTI ID:5493998

Maldonado, O ^[1]; Altseimer, J; Thayer, G R ^[2]; Cooper, L ^[3]; Caicedo, A ^[4]

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1. Consultecnia, Guatemala City (Guatemala)
2. Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
3. Energy Associates International, Albuquerque, NM (United States)
4. Unidad de Desarrollo Geotermico, Guatemala City (Guatemala). Inst. Nacional de Electrificacion

A food dehydration facility was constructed near the town of Zunil, Guatemala, to demonstrate the use of geothermal energy for industrial applications. The facility, with some modifications to the design, was found to work quite satisfactorily. Tests using five different products were completed during the time geothermal energy was used in the plant. During the time the plant was not able to use geothermal energy, a temporary diesel-fueled boiler provided the energy to test dehydration on seven other crops available in this area. The system demonstrates that geothermal heat can be used successfully for dehydrating food products. Many other industrial applications of geothermal energy could be considered for Zunil since a considerable amount of moderate-temperature heat will become available when the planned geothermal electrical facility is constructed there. 6 refs., 15 figs., 7 tabs.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: AID; Agency for International Development, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 5493998
• Report Number(s): LA-12180-MS; ON: DE91017467
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
DEHYDRATORS
DESIGN
OPERATION
PERFORMANCE
FOOD PROCESSING
DEHYDRATION
DEMONSTRATION PLANTS
GUATEMALA
GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES
COST
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
GEOTHERMAL PROCESS HEAT
GEOTHERMAL WELLS
NATURAL STEAM
WASTE HEAT UTILIZATION
CENTRAL AMERICA
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
ENERGY
FLUIDS
GEOTHERMAL FLUIDS
HEAT
LATIN AMERICA
PROCESS HEAT
PROCESSING
RESOURCES
STEAM
WASTE PRODUCT UTILIZATION
WELLS
Geothermal Legacy
151000* - Geothermal Energy- Direct Energy Utilization
553004 - Agriculture & Food Technology- Food Protection & Preservation- (1987-)