Abstract
Kenya is a developing country highly dependent on economic rotation in agricultural sector with main commodities corn, tea and fruits. In order to maintain quality of commodity within a certain period, a drying process is needed. Purpose of drying is to reduce moisture content of a commodity to a certain level. Alternative energy that can be used for drying activities in Kenya is geothermal energy. In assessing direct utilization of geothermal energy, a pilot project was made in Lesiolo, Nakuru by utilizing heat energy from the Menengai geothermal waste fluid area, Nakuru.
 
 Drying process can utilize brine from separator or condensate from power plant by using a heat exchanger to get required drying temperature. One drying room can hold about 20 tons in ambient air conditions. This dryer is shaped like a tunnel where hot air will flow from each side of drying chamber. Food commodities used in this project are wheat, corn and barley. Heat energy needed to dry each of these food commodities comes from geothermal waste fluid that enters heat exchanger with a minimum input temperature of 130oC and an output of 93oC. Mass flow rate needed to dry every 30 m3 of commodity is 2 kg/s
Highlights
Kenya is a country located in East Africa and has a tropical climate that causes the growth of various types of plants
Alternative energy that is very potential to be used in Kenya is geothermal energy
A pilot project for process of drying using heat energy from the waste fluid power plant can be done in the Lesiolo area, Nakuru
Summary
Kenya is a country located in East Africa and has a tropical climate that causes the growth of various types of plants. Brine and condensate from separators and cooling towers can be used as a source of heat for the process of drying food plants. Companies based in Taupo, North New Zealand use waste fluid from separators and cooling towers from the Ohaaki geothermal area power plant to dry various commodities such as Lucerne (alfalfa), Timber and Pinus Radiata (Pirrit & Dunstall, 1998). A pilot project for process of drying using heat energy from the waste fluid power plant can be done in the Lesiolo area, Nakuru (close to the Menangai geothermal area, Nakuru). This area is a location for drying wheat, corn and barley. In this paper we will discuss the technical study of the mechanism of drying process by using heat from fluid left over from the power plant in Menengai geothermal area, Nakuru with a generating capacity of 400 MWe which will be operational by the end of 2015 (Wetang'ula, 2012)
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