Research Title: Temperature Controlled Cocoa Bean Sun Drying and Induction

Heating with GSM

Proponents: Regine B. Bactat
Kaycee Claire R. Cavan
Kristopher E. Recto
A. Description of the Study
1. Rationale
Cocoa beans is mainly consumed as chocolates and widely
used in beverages, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and toiletry
products. It is also associated with many health benefits (Porter.,
2006; Taubert et al., 2007). In recent years the demand for
chocolate has dramatically increased. People have been consumed
with chocolate for centuries and it has become part of many
people’s daily lives. The cocoa farmers are struggling to match the
increasing demand for chocolate and therefore have turned to less
environmentally friendly practices to meet these demands. Some
farmers have moved their crops into direct sunlight and out of the
shade. In turn, the cocoa bean with no shade tend to accumulate
more weeds as well as some diseases. When the crops begin to
accumulate weeds and pests, farmers use large amounts of
herbicides to get rid of these pests causing damage to the land and
health of the people spraying the chemical as well as damaging the
cocoa beans crops.
In Cocoa production, drying process is said to be the critical
part for it must be carried out carefully to ensure that off-flavours
are not developed, thus, further reducing the constringency and
bitterness of the product. . Ideally, cacao should be dried over a
five to seven day period. If drying takes longer than seven days,
mold contamination can occur and this leads to down-grading of
the cocoa and buyers will pay less for it. After harvest and
fermentation cocoa beans must be dried to reduce its moisture
content from about 6% to about 7.5% wet basis which allows acids
in the cacao to evaporate and produce a low acid, high cocoa
flavoured product and are characterized by the familiar ‘chocolate’
brown colour.
Drying methods and duration will vary according to the means
and technology that each Cooperative or Association has in place.
Methods of drying the beans are usually by sun-drying and artificial
and forced or hot air drying, depending on some socio-economic
considerations and prevailing climatic conditions. Sun drying is
 simple and cheap: not requiring the expensive mechanical devices
used in the artificial dryers, but it is also labour-intensive and there
is much concern for a stable weather condition. The biggest single
factor affecting drying time is the weather. When it rains, the
drying process takes much longer. Since the beans dry outside,
under the sun, the process is extremely dependent on climate. This
process is not really recommended as the beans are exposed to
pollutants that can ultimately damage the taste and flavours of the
beans during the drying process. Artificially dried beans also can be
of poor quality due to contamination from the smoke of fires or
because the cocoa is dried too quickly. While forced or hot air
drying the fan forces the hot air through the beans and creates a
forced draught dryer where the products of combustion mix with
the hot air are blown directly through the beans.
This study, thus, provides automated mechanism of cacao
drying for producing cacao beans of good quality attributes free
from pests and weeds, of exact moisture content, consistently and
evenly dried beans and for an earlier duration process.
2. Objectives of the Study
2.1 General Objectives
To develop an automated mechanism of cacao
sun drying process with temperature sensing and
induction heating replacement for consistent and
even drying of cacao beans to produce cacao
beans of good quality having an ideal 7% moisture
content for the export market and meet its
required duration process.
2.2 Specific Objectives
 To create a device that has an automatic
mechanism of cocoa bean drying process placed in
a drying platform with automatic covering that rely
on weather condition for induction to take place
using solar panel to utilize energy from the sun and
send data to monitoring system.
 To produce good quality production of cocoa
beans.
 To make an even and consistent drying of cocoa
beans for desired duration process output.
 3. Methodology
Cocoa beans of good quality should have an ideal 7% moisture
content for the export market. Placing the cocoa beans in a
metallic drying platform and let the direct heat from sunlight dry
the cocoa bean and supply the solar panel. When undesired low
temperature or a rain is detected using Temperature and Humidity
Sensor DHT22 the cover automatically close and induction heating
process starts which heats the metal for continuation of drying
process. Once the desired content moisture is meet the capability
of sending data to the monitoring system using arduino uno
microcontroller and a standard SIM900A based GSMmodem.

B. Scope of the Work

The device produce consistent and even drying of cocoa
beans to produce cocoa beans of good quality having an ideal
7% moisture content ready for export market and an
automated mechanism that meet its desired duration process.
During undesired low temperature or rain the device
automatically covers for induction to take place using solar
panel to utilize energy from the sun and send data to
monitoring system when desired moisture of cocoa bean is
reached.

C. Research Study Duration

This study will be conducted within 1 year.
D. Approximate Budget to Finish the Study
This device approximately costs P25,000- P30,000.