Facility Costs of Centralized Grain Storage Systems Utilizing Computer Design

The item considered most often when estimating the cost of a grain storage facility is capacity. Of equal or greater importance is daily harvest rate. Other important considerations include drying method, materials handling equipment, energy cost, facility arrangement, labor requirements, grain quality and management ability. Only through a comparison of facilities which offer similar capacity, capability and convenience can the purchaser obtain his best system

Energy in the Home: Grain Drying Performance Evaluation

When grain is harvested in Kentucky at moisture contents exceeding 13 to 14 percent, it must be dried to insure long-term safe storage. The drier the stored grain, the longer it will retain its quality

Retention of Gasification-Combustion Products by Corn

Shelled corn was dried in layers of 5.1 cm (2 in.) 10.2 cm (4 in.), and 15.2 cm (6 in.) using air heated with the exhaust from a corn-cob fueled gasification-combustion updraft furnace. The drying air entering and leaving the grain layers was sampled for particulate content to determine the percentage of total particulates trapped by the grain during drying. It was determined that an average of 25% of the total particulates in the drying air were retained by the grain. The large majority of those particulates retained were found in the bottom 5.1 cm (2 in.) of the grain layer

Energy in Agriculture: Fan Performance on Grain Drying Bins

One of the keys to successful in·bin grain drying and aeration is the matching of a drying or aeration fan to the drying or storage bin. A properly designed system will be more efficient in terms of both drying and energy utilization. The quantity of air that may be delivered through the grain depends upon grain type, bin size, fan type, fan horsepower, depth of grain, percent of foreign material and the extent to which the grain is packed

Energy in Agriculture: Performance Evaluation for Natural Air and Low-Temperature Drying Systems

Natural air and low-temperature drying systems are generally not recommended for Kentucky because of their slow drying rates. In such systems the grain near the top of the drying bin may remain undried for an extended period of time, possibly leading to grain spoilage and/or the production of aflatoxin

Energy in Agriculture: Dryeration Performance Evaluation

When grain is dried using continuous flow or portable batch dryers it must be cooled before it is placed in storage. The cooling process removes the sensible heat that was used to bring the grain temperature up to the drying air temperature, and hopefully reduces the grain temperature to a point where mold growth is no longer a problem. Unfortunately, rapid cooling of grain results in increased grain damage in terms of stress cracks, and is an energy-inefficient process in that the heat stored in the grain is not used for any useful purpose

Dynamic Simulation of Animal Growth and Reproduction

A rather unique systems analysis approach has been made to simulate the utilization of dry matter by ruminant animals, and the natural breeding and reproduction process within a herd. Physiological factors occurring over time and the time related effects of these factors are simulated

The Influence of Harvesting Strategies and Economic Constraints on the Feasibility of Farm Grain Drying and Storage Facilities

The economic return to on-the-farm grain drying and storage facilities is influenced by many factors including harvesting strategies, facility management, market conditions, energy considerations, and facility design. This study evaluates the influence of these factors on expected net return