Ventilation of grain in metal silos of large capacity in the South of Russia

Abstract

Abstract The peculiarity of grain storage in the South is that it is required to supply a standard air volume of at least 10 m3*h/t to a silo filled with a formed batch of grain during ventilation. It is not possible to meet this requirement under the existing condition of the silos. The silos are not equipped with air flow control devices, they are equipped with ventilators with different characteristics, that have different designs and sizes of devices for air movement. There are cases of ventilation with minimal volumes of air supply, which contribute to the development of storage molds that degrade the quality of the grain. Fulfillment of the recommendations and installation of additional equipment on a large-capacity metal silo allows for the supply of the standard volume of air to the grain layer in any silo, regardless of the configuration and design features and thermos-physical parameters of the air inside the large-capacity metal silo. When the air parameters inside the silo change, active ventilation of the grain throughout the entire ventilation period and an increase in the values of relative humidity and air temperature in the intergranular space of the upper grain layer and in the over-granular space occur, the ventilation must be stopped. An increase in the values of relative humidity and temperature in the upper layer of the grain and in the above-grain space occurs due to the transfer of heat and moisture from the deep layers to the upper part of the silo.