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Previous group

In 2013 a group of students went to the Gambia for the developing of solar dryers. Two years later, it has turned out the design had some flaws and can be improved. But we can learn a lot from the experiences the previous group has gained.

They previous group has built a solar dryer with a steel frame, plastic sheets on the sides and the drying box on top (see picture). The main problem was that the plastic was not durable; it was affected by the sun and there formed some cracks. 
Because of this, we will try to make a design without plastic sheets, or we will use a better quality plastic. 

Solar dryer 2013

The other improvement opportunity lies with the steel frame. Because of the costs of steel, its better to use a cheaper material. The challenge is to find a cheaper but still durable material to make the frame. 

steel frame

Besides the construction related subject, we can also learn a lot from all the other. Their report is a valuable source of information.