CFW Projects can undertake the design, manufacture and installation of complete tea drying facilities as well as a variety of herbs and other plant materials. We ensure that as much energy as possible is saved for less costly drying.

We have recently provided dryer, electrical and control systems and integration into the line for a large rooibos facility as well as a green tea processing plant. CFW specialises in supplying units with a minimum capacity of one tonne. However, we can provide dryers to suit various producers.

The diverse needs of customers and the differences in local conditions at different sites mean that the appropriate drying system is best determined on a case-by-case basis. The products and technologies we have provided in the past include:

• The CFW Mini dryer. These units can be rented ex stock, bought new or used, and traded in as your business grows.
• Fully reversible fan impellers for tea withering
• Drying rooms
• Convection oven dryers
• Heat pump dehumidification

There are many variables that influence the choice of the appropriate dryer. A key concern is temperature control. The quality of the final product is highly dependent on the temperature at which the product is processed, as the caffeine content and constituents that determine flavour and appearance are heat-sensitive. Drying temperatures that are too low at the beginning of the process will allow enzymatic processes that reduce product quality to continue unnecessarily long. If dryer residency times are kept short, relatively high temperatures may be permitted.

Another factor is the size of the harvest. Dryer capacity must be great enough to process the entire harvest as quickly as possible to prevent unacceptable quality deterioration. In addition, the energy and capital cost and reliability of the dryer are important factors.

In order to allow fast drying at lower temperatures and so preserve the desirable qualities of the tea, high airflow rates should ideally be established throughout the dryer.

Where ambient conditions are hot and humid, higher drying temperatures will be needed for heat and vent drying. Since this raises energy costs, the use of a different drying technology may be preferable.