Industrial Belt Dryer in Kazakhstan

Background: Maximizing Value from Agricultural Residue

The customer is an agricultural cooperative located near Kostanay, northern Kazakhstan, where wheat farming and livestock production are dominant. Every harvest, they generate huge volumes of wheat straw and leftover corn stalks. Previously, most of this material was either burned off in fields or baled and sold cheaply to nearby cattle farms. However, with more local interest in biomass pellets and dried feed additives, they saw a chance to upgrade.

They already owned basic balers, choppers, and a small pellet press for test batches. But they had no modern drying equipment to reduce the high moisture content of raw straw and stalks, which averages 35–50% when fresh. To turn this into durable, high-quality pellets or dried bulk feed, they needed moisture levels under 12–15%. Their old drying method — open air drying under tarps — was too slow, weather-dependent, and unreliable.

So, the cooperative's board decided to invest in a single industrial belt dryer to modernize this step. This was not about building a full new pellet plant — it was about plugging one modern drying unit into their existing simple setup, and immediately unlocking more product value.

Selecting the Right Industrial Belt Dryer Model for Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan's climate is known for wide extremes — freezing winters and dry but short summers. A robust, stable drying system was essential. After consultations and site evaluation, the cooperative chose the DHG-1000 industrial belt dryer from RICHI.

Key specifications for this project:

• Model: DHG-1000
• Heating Type: Electric heating (reliable for off-grid areas with their own small power generation setup)
• Power: 70 kW main heating + 2.2 kW × 3 + 1.5 kW for fans and conveyor motors
• Number of Belt Layers: 5 layers
• Belt Width: 1.2 meters
• Drying Area: 43 m²

This capacity matched their daily straw throughput and allowed them to run around the clock during peak harvest periods, drying up to 12–15 tons of wet straw per day into clean, uniform dry material.

Typical Raw Materials: Wheat Straw, Corn Stalks, Rice Husks

In Kazakhstan, straw and stalk biomass is abundant yet often wasted or underutilized. For this cooperative, the focus is on:

• Wheat Straw: Collected after combining, chopped to manageable lengths, and loaded onto the belt dryer.
• Corn Stalks: Collected during late summer harvest, chipped or shredded, then dried before storage or pelletizing.
• Occasional Rice Husks: Sourced from small rice mills further south — they plan to blend dried husks into their pellet fuel when supply allows.

Previously, they could only dry about 10% of what they collected, losing potential income on the rest due to mold and spoilage. The new industrial belt dryer in Kazakhstan completely changes that equation.

Practical Impact: Solving Drying Challenges on the Kazakh Steppe

What does the RICHI industrial belt dryer in Kazakhstan do that tarps and the open sun can't?

1. First, it delivers consistent, controlled heat and airflow. That means straw comes out at the exact moisture content they need for safe storage and pelletizing — even when sudden rain or early frost hits the region.
2. Second, the 5-layer conveyor belt system maximizes space and throughput. They feed chopped straw onto the top belt, and by the time it descends through each level, it's evenly dried on all sides.
3. Third, drying time is predictable. With open-air drying, a sudden thunderstorm could ruin a week's worth of work. Now, the cooperative runs drying shifts day and night, so there’s no more waiting for the weather to cooperate.

How the Belt Dryer Fits Their Bigger Vision

Right now, the dried straw is bagged and sold in two ways: as baled animal bedding and as raw feedstock for a small straw pellet making machine they already own. This pelletizer produces test batches of biomass fuel pellets — a promising new market for households and small boilers in rural Kazakhstan.

By drying straw to consistent specs, they can now make more durable, uniform pellets. Moisture consistency means pellets burn cleaner and store longer — which helps them sell at a premium to local buyers who would otherwise rely on coal.

In the next few years, they plan to scale up pellet output. But the first smart step was simply solving the drying bottleneck. With the new industrial belt dryer in Kazakhstan, they can confidently expand knowing they’ve tackled the biggest variable: moisture.

Why the Cooperative Chose a Single Dryer, Not a Full Line

Budgets matter — especially for rural co-ops. Instead of borrowing heavily for a full new pellet line, they're growing step by step. Their philosophy is simple: invest once, prove the value, reinvest profits.

Their old choppers and pellet press still work fine. The big weakness was drying. By adding just one modern, efficient continuous belt dryer, they turned surplus, low-value straw into a higher-value product overnight.

What Sets RICHI Apart for Kazakhstan's Conditions

There are many dryers on the global market, but RICHI stood out for these reasons:

• Custom Engineering: RICHI's team designed airflow and heating settings for Kazakhstan's unique straw characteristics — tough stalks, high initial moisture, and harsh climate.
• Reliable Electric Heating: Many Kazakh farms don't have easy access to cheap natural gas. The DHG-1000’s electric heating matches their onsite generator and local grid, giving stable performance.
• Straightforward Maintenance: The cooperative has limited technical staff. RICHI's modular design and clear training helped them run the dryer themselves within days of installation.
• Local Support: RICHI provided videos, remote commissioning help, and advice in Russian — a big plus for the cooperative’s older workforce.

Wider Benefits for the Local Community

This upgrade does more than make one cooperative profitable. It helps nearby farmers too. Instead of burning off leftover straw — a common practice that harms air quality — they can now sell surplus biomass for drying and pelletizing.

This reduces waste, adds extra income, and creates local fuel alternatives to coal — which aligns with Kazakhstan’s national energy goals to promote renewable biomass solutions.

Next Plans: Expanding with Confidence

Now that they have the industrial belt dryer working well, the cooperative has already drafted plans for phase two: upgrading their pellet press and adding a simple bagging line. With the drying step sorted, they can handle bigger volumes without fear of spoilage or weather delays.

They also plan to test drying other feedstocks like alfalfa, which is increasingly grown for Kazakhstan's expanding cattle industry.

A Message for Other Farmers and Processors

If you're in Kazakhstan — or anywhere in Central Asia — and still relying on the sun and tarps to dry straw, stalks, or husks, this story proves what's possible. Investing in a single continuous belt dryer, industrial belt dryer, or belt conveyor drying system can help you tap into new revenue streams and unlock value that's literally lying in your fields.

RICHI's experience with drying all kinds of biomass — from stalks to husks to grass pellets — makes them a trusted partner if you're ready to modernize.

Ready to Talk? RICHI Is Here to Help

A good industrial belt dryer in Kazakhstan is more than metal and motors — it's the backbone of a reliable supply chain for biomass products. With a RICHI industrial belt dryer, you gain stable drying, better product quality, and a smoother path to higher profits.

Reach out to RICHI Machinery today. Let's see how the right continuous belt dryer, industrial belt dryer, or biomass drying solution can help your farm or cooperative thrive — just like this one in northern Kazakhstan.