Sigurjón Arason, Chief Engineer, Matis ohf. Professor, University of Iceland Iceland Geothermal Conference 2013 March 5-8, 2013, Harpa, Reykjavík

1. 1
Utilization of geothermal energy for drying fish/food
products and new drying technologies in Iceland
Sigurjón Arason
Chief Engineer, Matis ohf.
Professor, University of Iceland
Iceland Geothermal Conference
March 5-8, 2013.
Harpa, Reykjavik
Utilization of geothermal energy for drying
fish/food products and new drying
technologies in Iceland
Sigurjón Arason
Chief Engineer, Matis ohf.
Professor, University of Iceland
Session C2
Direct usage
© Matís 2013 2
S.Arason
Naturally drying stockfish - made of wood racks

2. 2
Utilization of geothermal energy for drying fish/food
products and new drying technologies in Iceland
Sigurjón Arason
Chief Engineer, Matis ohf.
Professor, University of Iceland
Iceland Geothermal Conference
March 5-8, 2013.
Harpa, Reykjavik
© Matís 2013 3
S.ArasonSA
Out dried whole cod,
B: good, III: frost damaged
Outdried cod, after watering, B:
good.
Out dried cod, after watering, IV: frost damaged
© Matís 2013 4
S.Arason
The developing indoor drying of fish in Iceland
The first companies in this field were founded 35 years ago
and now there are more than fifteen companies with over
100 big dryers.
In the fishing industry, geothermal energy has mainly been
applied to indoor drying of cod heads, small fish, stock fish,
salted fish, seaweed and other products.

3. 3
Utilization of geothermal energy for drying fish/food
products and new drying technologies in Iceland
Sigurjón Arason
Chief Engineer, Matis ohf.
Professor, University of Iceland
Iceland Geothermal Conference
March 5-8, 2013.
Harpa, Reykjavik
© Matís 2013 5
S.Arason
The main advantages of indoor drying are
shorter drying time
drying all year around and regular export shipments
the product is more consistent in quality and water content
flies and insects are prevented from contaminating the product
utilization of local energy sources
© Matís 2013 6
S.ArasonSA
0 50 100 km
Geothermal utilization with drying in Iceland
Cod head drying plant
Use of geothermal
Dried cod head
Sea weed drying plant
Use of geothermal

4. 4
Utilization of geothermal energy for drying fish/food
products and new drying technologies in Iceland
Sigurjón Arason
Chief Engineer, Matis ohf.
Professor, University of Iceland
Iceland Geothermal Conference
March 5-8, 2013.
Harpa, Reykjavik
© Matís 2013 7
S.Arason
Prices for different types of energy for heating,
ISK for drying one kilogram of dried cod head
Based on 1 USD = 129 ISK, 2013
© Matís 2013 8
S.Arason
The weight of cod-heads changes with drying time.
The cod-heads are treated in three different ways prior to the drying.
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140
Heads
Flattened heads
Splitted heads
Primary drying Secondary drying
Drying time (hours)
%ofrawmaterialweight

5. 5
Utilization of geothermal energy for drying fish/food
products and new drying technologies in Iceland
Sigurjón Arason
Chief Engineer, Matis ohf.
Professor, University of Iceland
Iceland Geothermal Conference
March 5-8, 2013.
Harpa, Reykjavik
© Matís 2013 9
S.Arason
The drying of cod-heads indoors is divided into two
stages
Primary drying is done in a a tunnel dryer or a
conveyor-belt cabinet.
Secondary drying of semi-dried codheads is conducted
in drying containers of l-2m3 volume with hot air
blown through.
© Matís 2013 10
S.Arason
Secondary
drying
Primary
drying
Mass balances
Cod heads
100 kg water 82%
Semidried
X kg water 55%
Dried products
Y kg water 15%
=> X =
18
0,45
= 40 kg
=> Y =
18
0,85
= 21,2 kg
Vapour 60 kg
Vapour 18,8 kg

6. 6
Utilization of geothermal energy for drying fish/food
products and new drying technologies in Iceland
Sigurjón Arason
Chief Engineer, Matis ohf.
Professor, University of Iceland
Iceland Geothermal Conference
March 5-8, 2013.
Harpa, Reykjavik
© Matís 2013 11
S.Arason
6
1
2
3
3
45
1. Air inlet 4. Fans
2. Air outlet 5. Heater
3. Adjustable valves
6. Pallets with trays
6
Primary dryer -
the drying tunnel for fish
© Matís 2013 12
S.Arason
1 Conveyor
2 Blower
3 Heater
4. Adjustable valves
5. Air inlet
6. Air outlet
7. Feeding conveyor
8. Product
1
2
3
4
5 6
7
1
8
8 6
555
66
7
4
Continues conveyor dryer
for primary drying of fish cuts

7. 7
Utilization of geothermal energy for drying fish/food
products and new drying technologies in Iceland
Sigurjón Arason
Chief Engineer, Matis ohf.
Professor, University of Iceland
Iceland Geothermal Conference
March 5-8, 2013.
Harpa, Reykjavik
© Matís 2013 13
S.Arason
1 Conveyor
2 Blower
3 Heater
4. Adjustable
valves
5. Air inlet
6. Air outlet
7. Feeding
conveyor
8. Product
1
2
3
4 4
5 6
7
Continues conveyor dryer
for primary drying of fish cuts
© Matís 2013 14
S.Arason
Secondary air drying unit
Air heater
Fan air inlet
Duct
Container Container Container Container

8. 8
Utilization of geothermal energy for drying fish/food
products and new drying technologies in Iceland
Sigurjón Arason
Chief Engineer, Matis ohf.
Professor, University of Iceland
Iceland Geothermal Conference
March 5-8, 2013.
Harpa, Reykjavik
© Matís 2013 15
S.Arason
© Matís 2013 16
S.Arason

9. 9
Utilization of geothermal energy for drying fish/food
products and new drying technologies in Iceland
Sigurjón Arason
Chief Engineer, Matis ohf.
Professor, University of Iceland
Iceland Geothermal Conference
March 5-8, 2013.
Harpa, Reykjavik
© Matís 2013 17
S.Arason
© Matís 2013 18
S.Arason
Production of dried fish products

10. 10
Utilization of geothermal energy for drying fish/food
products and new drying technologies in Iceland
Sigurjón Arason
Chief Engineer, Matis ohf.
Professor, University of Iceland
Iceland Geothermal Conference
March 5-8, 2013.
Harpa, Reykjavik
© Matís 2013 19
S.Arason
© Matís 2013 20
S.Arason
Dried fish byproducts
Source: Hagstofa Íslands
0,0
10,0
20,0
30,0
40,0
50,0
60,0
0
2.000
4.000
6.000
8.000
10.000
12.000
14.000
16.000
18.000
19841985 1986 19871988 19891990 19911992 1993 19941995 19961997 19981999 2000 20012002 20032004 20052006 2007 2008
Tons
USD millions
Export of dried fish byproducts from Iceland 1984-2008
Tons
USD
Tons Millions $
2011 11.842 47
2012 13.033 69
Dried fish heads and cuts

11. 11
Utilization of geothermal energy for drying fish/food
products and new drying technologies in Iceland
Sigurjón Arason
Chief Engineer, Matis ohf.
Professor, University of Iceland
Iceland Geothermal Conference
March 5-8, 2013.
Harpa, Reykjavik
© Matís 2013 21
S.Arason
Raw material => Production => Drying =>
Storage => Transportation => Storage =>
Distribution => Consumer
Quality chain of dried fish product
© Matís 2013 22
S.Arason
What is Freeze Drying?
1)Freezing to -18°C
2)Establish a vacuum to 1 Torr
3)Add heat.
4)Ice will start evaporate –sublimation.
5)Bound water will evaporate –desorption.
6)When no more sublimation and desorption(no weight
loss and equal product temperature) product is dry.
7)Break vacuum.

12. 12
Utilization of geothermal energy for drying fish/food
products and new drying technologies in Iceland
Sigurjón Arason
Chief Engineer, Matis ohf.
Professor, University of Iceland
Iceland Geothermal Conference
March 5-8, 2013.
Harpa, Reykjavik
© Matís 2013 23
S.Arason
© Matís 2013 24
S.Arason
A conventional freeze-dryer with an vacuum-
pump and an ice-trap.
GEA

13. 13
Utilization of geothermal energy for drying fish/food
products and new drying technologies in Iceland
Sigurjón Arason
Chief Engineer, Matis ohf.
Professor, University of Iceland
Iceland Geothermal Conference
March 5-8, 2013.
Harpa, Reykjavik
© Matís 2013 25
S.Arason
A geothermal freeze-drying system, no vacuum
pump and ice-trap.
Steam
high pressure
Steam and
hot water
Steam ejector
© Matís 2013 26
S.Arason

14. 14
Utilization of geothermal energy for drying fish/food
products and new drying technologies in Iceland
Sigurjón Arason
Chief Engineer, Matis ohf.
Professor, University of Iceland
Iceland Geothermal Conference
March 5-8, 2013.
Harpa, Reykjavik
© Matís 2013 27
S.Arason
Thank you
Þakka