First Round of Roaster Prototypes a Success!
Since our last update, development of the improved shea roaster has made leaps and bounds. In summer of 2018, BDL Design Engineer Brian Gylland and Executive Director Paul Means traveled to Ghana and met up with the team at Burro, our Ghanaian partner, for the research phase of the project. Since that trip, BDL and Burro teams have compiled baseline testing data and market research, respectively; developed lab testing procedures to measure efficiency and emissions of the baseline and subsequent roasters at BDL's lab on Vashon; and generated 25 design concepts, each with their own potential to address the issues associated with roasting shea kernels.
More recently, BDL has been designing and prototyping combustion chambers to mount under the current drum. These combustion chambers will improve combustion efficiency and enhance heat transfer to the drum. The first iteration of combustion chambers demonstrated nearly double the efficiency of the baseline roaster. We are currently adding features to further improve this performance.
This month, we were also met with an unexpected update regarding the project’s funding. Due to changes in the U.S. government and budget structure, the entire $25 million Ghana Agriculture and Natural Resource Management Project (AgNRM) will cease to be funded by USAID Agriculture and Food Security effective October 31st, 2018. These cuts include the $125,000 awarded to BDL and Burro in support of the Shea Project. The news was especially disheartening as the project has made such wonderful progress over the last few months.
However, BDL remains fully invested in ensuring that this work can continue and is pursuing avenues to keep the project going. Brian and BDL Executive Director Paul Means have seen the need for an improved roaster firsthand, and we are committed to getting this technology to those who need it most. The entire BDL team is so grateful for your past contributions; whether or not you have supported this project in the past, please consider giving to BDL this month.
– Brian Gylland