CFW has been supplying fruit and vegetable drying solutions for more than 20 years. Drying projects that have been undertaken include onion, tomato and sweet potato drying. We offer a wide range of solutions. Each has distinct benefits when customer requirements and ambient weather conditions in the area are taken into account. For this reason, CFW does not prescribe a standardised, “one size fits all” system.

Our main market consists of commercial producers that require a minimum drying capacity of one tonne for each system installed in the facility. However, we also offer smaller drying cabinets and various rental options.

Here are just some of the types of system we have provided in the past:

• Refrigeration-type heat pump dehumidifiers
• Desiccant-type dehumidifiers
• Electrical heat and vent drying
• Steam heat and vent drying
• Hot water heat and vent drying
• Hybrid drying systems combining several of the above-mentioned components, to optimize and improve flexibility
• Tunnel drying arrangements
• Batch room drying systems
• Containerized drying systems
• The Mini Dryer drying system
• Rental drying solutions

Our wide range of options enables us to offer solutions that are optimised for economical low-temperature, low-RH drying as well as systems suited to higher temperature ranges as required.

We also offer advice on improving existing drying systems, upgrading and repairs, and refitting for switching to different energy sources.

Our clients are located throughout South Africa, from the Cape to KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and Limpopo, and we have also exported fruit drying systems to Armenia, Angola, Kenya, Botswana and Zimbabwe.

CFW does the design and manufacture together with the electrical systems and controls in-house, so that we can take full responsibility for the system that we install. We also manufacture the trolleys, hot-dip galvanized or stainless steel trays with shadecloth or netlon and related system components. We are authorized representatives for Seibu Giken DST desiccant dehumidifiers.

About Fruit and Vegetable Drying

Large-scale vegetable and fruit drying to increase storage life often relies on forced-air drying or dehumidification. This is a well-established technique that is cost-effective for large product volumes in many cases, as losses from spoilage are reduced and production speed increased. Handling and transportation costs are also reduced by drying.

Although the target moisture content varies from product to product, it is usually reduced to below 20%. As in most drying applications, temperature control is needed prevent damage to the product. This may include case hardening, the loss of attributes such as flavour and texture, or excessive loss of shape. Especially heat-sensitive products such as mushrooms are often dried using desiccant dehumidification for this reason, whereas many kinds of fruit slices are processed in convection dryers. CFW can offer equipment suitable for any commonly dried fruit or vegetable.