A rice hull furnace (RHF) equipped with an automatic fuel feed system or ram-fed mechanism is now ready for commercialization in the Philippines. Pilot testing of the furnace was successfully conducted in Macalamcam A, Rosario, Batangas using a 5-ton flatbed paddy dryer.
Technical assistance and supervision during the installation and pilot testing was provided by Engr. Pat Borlagdan Ph.D., Asst. Scientist, Post Harvest Section, Grain Quality, Nutrition and Post Harvest Center, IRRI with the help of Mr. Luis Soliban Jr. farm manager of the IRRI cooperator/owner of the flatbed dryer.
The idea of a rice hull furnace with an automatic husk feeding and ash removal system was initially conceptualized in 1996 by IRRI in collaboration with the Institute of Agricultural Engineering in the Tropics of Hohenheim University, Germany, and the Center for Agricultural Energy and Machinery of Nong Lam University (NLU), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. This was the general tone of an article written by Diplomate Ag. Engr. Martin Gummert, Senior Scientist and Post Harvest Development Officer of IRRI entitled “New Rice Husk Furnace Takes Off in Vietnam”, Ripple newsletter Jan-Feb 2007 issue published by the Irrigated Rice Research Consortium (IRRC).