Selection of an Appropriate Biomass Burner for Drying Maize in a Crossflow Column Dryer Using an Analytic Hierarchy Process

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Published Aug 30, 2022
https://doi.org/10.55043/jaast.v6i2.63
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Vol. 6 No. 2 (2022): Journal of Applied Agricultural Science and Technology

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George Obeng-Akrofi
Iowa State University
Joseph Oppong Akowuah
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9653-9750
Dirk E. Maier
Iowa State University
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2583-0011
Ahmad Addo
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

Abstract

Several post-harvest technologies have been introduced over the past years to help smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa reduce crop losses. However, not all these technologies fit the same application purpose to meet the needs of farmers in different locations. This study, therefore, applied a multi-criteria decision method, the analytical hierarchy process (AHP), to select an appropriate biomass burner based on its technical performance, cost, and design criteria to complete the setup of a low-cost column dryer. With a priority value of 0.69 out of 1.00, the KNUST-ABE Biomass Burner was selected over the AFLASTOP Biomass Burner which had a priority value of 0.31 out of 1.00. Based on the results of this study, the AHP multi-criteria decision method was helpful in the selection of a locally developed biomass burner for a low-cost column drying system.

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Author Biographies

George Obeng-Akrofi, Iowa State University

Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering

Joseph Oppong Akowuah, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering

Dirk E. Maier, Iowa State University

Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering

Ahmad Addo, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering

How to Cite
Obeng-Akrofi, G., Akowuah, J. O., Maier, D. E. ., & Addo, A. (2022). Selection of an Appropriate Biomass Burner for Drying Maize in a Crossflow Column Dryer Using an Analytic Hierarchy Process. Journal of Applied Agricultural Science and Technology, 6(2), 107-119. https://doi.org/10.55043/jaast.v6i2.63

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