Conveyor Dryer Machine in Brazil

Project Background: Turning Agricultural Waste into Opportunity

The customer is a private family-owned biofuel company that has expanded steadily over the past decade. Originally, they only supplied raw sugarcane to local mills, but with the growing global demand for renewable energy and sustainable products, they diversified into bagasse pellet production.

However, their old drying system—a mix of open-air drying yards and outdated rotary dryers—couldn’t keep up with rising orders. During Brazil’s wet season, high humidity made it nearly impossible to reach the desired moisture content for premium bagasse pellets. Uneven drying caused pellet disintegration during storage and transport, resulting in export rejections and customer complaints.

After consulting industry peers and visiting other biomass pellet plants, the company’s engineering manager decided it was time to invest in a modern conveyor dryer machine to create a stable, high-quality bagasse feedstock for pelletizing. Instead of jumping straight to a full new line, they chose to purchase a single dryer first—an approach that allows them to upgrade their drying section step by step without halting production.

Why the DHG-2000 Belt Dryer Was the Right Choice

Given the scale of their bagasse throughput and the relatively low energy costs at their plant (thanks to steam recovered from sugarcane processing), the customer chose RICHI’s largest model for maximum impact: the DHG-2000 electric heating belt dryer.

Key specifications of the conveyor dryer machine in Brazil:

• Model: DHG-2000
• Heating Method: Electric heating
• Power: 132 kW + 2.2 kW x 3 + 1.5 kW
• Belt Layers: 5 layers
• Belt Width: 1.6 meters
• Drying Area: 58 m²

This conveyor dryer machine in Brazil is designed for continuous drying of high-moisture bulk biomass like sugarcane bagasse. With five layers and adjustable belt speed, it maintains consistent temperature and air flow, crucial for removing moisture evenly without burning the fibrous material.

Local Raw Material: Sugarcane Bagasse

Brazil produces over 600 million tons of sugarcane annually. For every ton processed, about 250 kg of bagasse remains. Traditionally, bagasse powers sugar mills’ boilers, but increasingly, surplus bagasse is processed into biomass pellets for industrial boilers and even residential heating in Europe and Asia.

For this conveyor dryer machine in Brazil project, the customer processes freshly pressed sugarcane bagasse with an initial moisture content of about 50%. The target after drying is below 15%, ideal for pelletizing or briquetting. Achieving this with traditional drying methods was energy-intensive, inconsistent, and vulnerable to weather disruptions. The conveyor dryer machine solves these headaches.

How the Conveyor Dryer Machine Improves Their Operations

For this Brazilian company, the new conveyor dryer machine is more than just an equipment upgrade—it’s a strategic investment in efficiency, quality, and sustainability.

Here’s what changed:

• Stable Production: The DHG-2000 conveyor dryer machine in Brazil allows round-the-clock, all-weather drying. No more halted operations during São Paulo’s heavy rains.
• Higher Pellet Quality: Moisture consistency across all bagasse batches means pellets don’t crumble or break during storage and shipping.
• Energy Savings: While the model is electric, they offset a large part of the energy use with co-generated power from bagasse combustion, closing the loop.
• Scalability: The large drying area of 58 m² means they can handle current production and expand output by up to 50% without adding another dryer immediately.
• Cleaner Operation: Enclosed drying minimizes dust emissions, helping meet Brazil’s tightening environmental standards.

Why Not a Full Line at Once?

Some might ask why the customer didn’t invest in a complete new drying and pelletizing line immediately. The answer lies in careful capital planning and real-world operations. They already have reliable pellet mills, presses, and packaging equipment. Their bottleneck was clear: drying.

Adding a single high-performance conveyor dryer machine removes this weak link while keeping the rest of the process untouched. This phased investment reduces risk, frees up cash flow, and lets them test the machine’s performance with local bagasse before scaling up.

More Than Just Bagasse: Exploring New Revenue Streams

Another benefit of the conveyor dryer machine in Brazil is flexibility. While sugarcane bagasse is the main feedstock today, the company plans to test drying other fibrous by-products in the future:

• Rice husks from nearby rice mills
• Coffee husks from Minas Gerais’ coffee processors
• Wood chips from local sawmills

All of these materials could feed their pellet press machines or be sold as dried biomass for other industries. The versatility of the belt dryer ensures they’re not locked into a single revenue stream.

Why RICHI Was the Trusted Partner

When sourcing this conveyor dryer machine, the company’s technical team considered several international brands. RICHI Machinery won them over for three reasons:

• Proven global experience in drying a wide range of materials: from feed and food to biomass.
• Practical customization for local realities, including advice on power supply, local installation, and bagasse characteristics.
• Responsive after-sales service and the ability to deliver spare parts and technical support from a regional partner.

These advantages gave the customer confidence that they weren’t just buying a machine—they were gaining a committed partner for the long run.

The Real Impact: Cleaner Energy, Stronger Profits

For Brazil’s bioenergy sector, the drying stage can make or break profitability. Wet bagasse clogs pellet mills, wastes fuel in the pressing stage, and lowers the calorific value of the final product. With a RICHI conveyor dryer machine, this customer has improved every part of that chain.

Today, they produce higher-grade bagasse pellets that command a better price in domestic and export markets. Their fuel efficiency is up. Their carbon footprint is down. Local communities benefit too: more steady jobs, less waste burned openly, and more farmers earning extra revenue from what was once just “sugarcane trash.”

Future Plans: Room to Grow

With the DHG-2000 conveyor dryer machine in Brazil running smoothly, the company’s next step is simple: double capacity when demand justifies it. They’ve already reserved land for a second drying unit, and the factory layout leaves space for an expanded bagasse handling area.

In the next phase, they may also add a fully automatic bagasse pellet mill line, bagging system, and quality lab—all with RICHI’s expertise and equipment.

A Strong Message to Other Brazilian Producers

For any Brazilian mill, plantation, or bioenergy startup, this story shows that investing in a conveyor dryer machine can pay off fast. Whether you're drying bagasse, rice husks, coffee husks, or wood chips, a robust belt dryer like the DHG-2000 guarantees consistent drying results, higher throughput, and a path to new markets.

Keywords like belt dryer, conveyor dryer, belt drying machine, and continuous conveyor dryer are more than just technical terms—they're practical solutions to real production challenges.

Ready to Upgrade? Talk to RICHI Machinery Today

As the bioenergy world shifts toward sustainability and zero waste, drying technology is a small investment with a big impact. If you run a sugarcane mill, biofuel plant, or biomass pellet facility, RICHI's proven conveyor dryer machines can help you handle raw materials smarter, dry faster, and sell a premium product.

Get in touch with RICHI's team today to learn how a single dryer can transform your plant—just like it did for this Brazilian pioneer in bagasse biomass. Your waste can become your biggest asset, with the right drying technology behind you.

Contact RICHI Machinery. Let's build a cleaner, more profitable future together.