Percorrer por autor "Farrero, Bernardo"
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- Acorn pre-drying: implications for the food industryPublication . Farrero, Bernardo; Ribeiro, Luís Frölén; Famiglietti, Antonio; Babo, PedroIn industry, 74% of the energy consumed is used in the form of heat. The food sector is characterised by a high share of processes that rely on industrial heat [1]. However, 90% of this thermal energy currently comes from fossil fuels, and only 9% is supplied by renewable sources [2]. The adoption of solar thermal technologies in the food industry offers multiple benefits that support its viability as an energy alternative to overcome this caveat. Firstly, by relying on a renewable and stable source. Manufacturers can reduce production costs and limit their exposure to the volatility of fossil fuel prices, thereby ensuring greater long-term price stability and predictability [3]. These reductions in energy costs may also be reflected in lower prices for the end consumer. Solar-assisted dehydration enables a decrease in moisture content, thereby limiting microbial growth and food spoilage [3]. In this regard, Solar Heat for Industrial Processes (SHIP) may also address food security concerns as storage losses are estimated to reach up to 20%, posing a critical challenge to food security [4]. The installation of in-situ pre-dehydration systems near harvesting zones provides clear benefits for energy efficiency and product quality. The Iberian Peninsula, notably, benefits from very high solar radiation, with many clear-sky days and extended sunlight periods, making it particularly suitable for solar-based pre-dehydration systems. By lowering produce weight and moisture before transportation, these systems decrease fossil energy demand during both industrial drying and large-scale transport [5]. This approach reduces the final product cost, as demonstrated by an in-situ solar dryer used for acorns in Alentejo holm oak groves. The passive, indirect mobile dryer, fitted with hanging bags, reduces acorn moisture content by 15% after 72 hours of drying, delays fruit spoilage, and cuts large-scale industrial heat input [6,4]. Thermal energy data from a factory case at Landratech, an acorn food producer involved in the MEDACORNET project, indicate that 15% in-situ pre-dehydration cuts thermal energy use by 52% during both initial and final drying stages of acorn flour manufacture [3]. This combined method lowers fossil fuel use, reduces losses, improves energy efficiency, and supports sustainability in the food processing sector.
- A case for including solar dehydrators in food processingPublication . Silva, Paulo Bruno Rossi da; Farrero, Bernardo; Ribeiro, Luís FrölénThe access of small-scale food producers and big agro-industry players to equipment is abyssal. The latter have access to well-developed and appropriate technology. In this article, one proposes a novel design for food dehydration equipment to serve small-scale producers, reducing their technological gap regarding dehydration. Equipment that dries more than 1000 kg daily is costly and consumes much energy. Lower capacity machines, up to 100 kg per day, are often one-off handcrafted projects built with reused materials without dimensioning supporting the design. They are usually not easily transportable and underperform: the drying chamber tends to overheat; the solar collector's area is usually 50% inferior to the required product quantity. One proposes a mobile dehydrator with a solar collector area 7 times larger than average, promoting moisture removal by naturally convected airflow at lower temperatures, reaching up to 4,5 m/s and 44,3 °C inside the entrance of the drying chamber. Under these flow conditions, the food's organoleptic properties are preserved compared to the often high-temperature drying handspun machines continually adopted by small-scale producers. The internal layout of the drying chamber was also changed to promote the increase of turbulence and reduce the existence of recirculation areas, thus facilitating the transfer of moisture from the food to the airflow. The expected result from implementing this novel design is avoiding food losses due to natural degradation by increasing the product's shelf life before transport and transformation. Solar equipment has zero operational costs, and all these advantages are expected to encourage small-scale dehydration technology.
- Experimental optimization of hydraulic mini-turbinesPublication . Farrero, Bernardo; Rosa, Sérgio; Agostini, FabianThe use of technologies to obtain energy from renewable sources has developed extensively over time and some of them are consolidated, such as hydroelectric power plants and wind turbines. On the other hand, there are still areas with a lot to increase and that has great potential. One of the energy sources is water. Hydroelectric is one of the main renewable generators of. However, there are still areas of technology with a low degree of maturity, such as energy from marine currents and the generation of electricity through mini-turbines in river flows. In this sense, this work presents a method based on the Blade Element Moment Theory to calculate the blade elements of a horizontal axis mini turbine, vary its geometry and allow a better e of power. After the creation of a code in the Excel software and using parameters already calculated in another work, five different propellers were developed. Through the results obtained through the code, the modelling was carried out in the SolidWorks software. Then, it was possible to do the optimization of the chord of the blades, 3D print prototypes, and make the experimental comparison. The results of the experimental tests carried out showed the influence of the tip speed ratio factor (λ) on the performance of an axial propeller and. These results are consistent with the literature that recommend values of λ based on the number of blades that make up a propeller. On the other hand, the importance of considering the number of blades that will make up a propeller when projecting the aerodynamic profile and how this affects its performance was demonstrated.
- Máquina de talhar bolotasPublication . Amorim, Jhonatam; Ribeiro, Luís Frölén; Farrero, BernardoAnálise das propriedades das bolotas. Ensaios em CNC de Laser CO₂. Projeto Mecânico integrando uma mesa vibratória, esteira transportadora e conjunto de tubo e cabeça de laser
- Relatório final projeto landfoodPublication . Ribeiro, Luís Frölén; Farrero, Bernardo; Rossi da Silva, Paulo BrunoEste relatório técnico final elaborado pelo Instituto Politécnico de Bragança sobre as atividades desenvolvidas no projeto "LandFood" para a Landratech. Relata o desenvolvimento de um secador solar para a pré-secagem de bolotas no campo.
- Responsive dehydration: sensor-driven optimisation of production cycles in a solar dehydratorPublication . Rossi da Silva, Paulo Bruno; Farrero, Bernardo; Silva, Arthur Marangoanha; Babo, Pedro S.; Ribeiro, Luís FrölénDrying is an effective method for preserving food. Compared to freezing, it consumes less energy and produces equivalent results. Solar heat is a great way for small farmers to create sustainable and affordable goods since it costs no energy. This article describes and explains how to operate equipment developed to address this issue. The equipment is currently undergoing experimental validation, and real-time monitoring and user notification systems have been installed to improve the production experience and the post-harvest conservation of food products. Additionally, the installed tracking system allows farmers to keep track of their products from the farm to the factory. This article demonstrates how integrated monitoring and tracking systems can enhance small farmer production by optimizing the drying process of acorns.
- Revisiting solar dryers for small to medium productionPublication . Farrero, Bernardo; Rossi da Silva, Paulo Bruno; Ribeiro, Luís FrölénThis article presents an overview of passive solar dryers, an ancient technique that may be revived for food drying capacities below one ton/day. The art of dehydrating food has existed for centuries and was developed to preserve food by extracting its water content, thus delaying its natural deterioration. This article reviews traditional solar dryers and proposes a verification parameter k, parametrising the solar collector’s size by the drying capacity. The modelling and parametrisa tion of the k constant allowed the evaluation of the examples of tra ditional models from the literature systematically. Results showed that 80% of the evaluated constructed solar dryers might underperform due to lower solar collecting surfaces than those projected by the k parameter.
- Smart carving of hard-shell fruit with CO2 laserPublication . Farrero, Bernardo; Babo, Pedro; Ribeiro, Luís FrölénThe application of CO₂ laser technology in food processing has gained significant attention due to its precision and adaptability. This study presents an intelligent system for carving hard-shell fruits, specifically acorns, to facilitate their shelling process. The proposed approach integrates real-time control and monitoring technologies to enhance precision and efficiency. A key challenge in acorn processing is the size and shell thickness variability, which complicates mechanical carving. The developed system employs a CO₂ laser to create precise incisions, ensuring optimal shell cracking during dehydration while preventing kernel damage. Experimental tests conducted at the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança identified optimal parameters—6 seconds of laser exposure at 40𝑊 power—for consistent and controlled carving. A thoughtful analysis system was implemented to assess pre- and post-carving conditions, enabling real-time adjustments to laser settings. This self-optimizing process improves the efficiency of the shell carving while reducing waste. The results demonstrate the feasibility of automated acorn carving using CO₂ laser technology, offering a scalable solution for industrial food processing with continuous control of the shell incision. Future research could explore advanced automation techniques to enhance system robustness and adaptability to different fruit types.