An Equal Opportunity University

Keeping the Bin-Bursting Grain in Good Condition

Sam McNeill

Extension Agricultural Engineer

UKREC – Princeton, KY

270-365-7541 x 213

Email: sam.mcneill@uky.edu

Web: www.bae.uky.edu

Soybean ground pile?!

Got Storage ?!

Stored Grain Management• Sanitation• Bin Loading practices• Aeration• Safe Monitoring• Web sites for other information

Sanitation

Equipment• Combine(s)• Carts/truck beds• Handling equipment• Dryers• Bins

Sanitation

Outside the bins• Remove spilled grain• Mow weeds to reduce rodent activity

Sanitation

Inspect bins• Look for daylight shining through holes

in roof and walls• Seal bottom ring to prevent air leaks• Repair as needed

S.L.A.M.

Stored Grain Management• Sanitation• Bin Loading practices• Aeration• Safe Monitoring• Web sites for other information

Bin Loading

Don’t overfill the bin

BAE

Bin Loading

Manage trash and fines Control grain damage by

combine Run augers full and ASAP Clean grain before storage Use a spreader to fill the bin Core the bin to remove

fines/trash from the center

BAE

Manage Trash and Fines

BAE

Core after Filling to Remove BCFM

BAE

Moisture Migration in Winter

65OF 45OF

BAE

Grain Spoilage from Moisture Migration

Uniform Temperature Prevents

moisture migration

Preserves product quality

S.L.A.M.

Stored Grain Management• Sanitation• Bin Loading practices• Aeration• Safe Monitoring• Web sites for other information

BAE

30

40

50

60

70

80

J A S O N D J F M A M J J

Month

Tem

pera

ture

, FStored Grain Temperatures in KY

BAE

Aeration Cooling Cycle

BAE

Estimated Time for Aeration Cycles (Hours)

Cfm/bu Fall Winter Spring

1/10 150 200 120 C

¼ 60 80 48 C

½ 30 40 24 C

¾ 20 27 16 I

1.0 15 20 12 I

hp /10 kbu

1 hp

10 hp

5 hp

BAE

Cost of One Aeration CycleExample for 10 kbu bin @ 10¢/kwh

FanHp

Hours Cost$

Cost¢/bu

1 200 20.00 0.20

5 40 20.00 0.20

10 20 20.00 0.20

BAE

Typical 5 Day Forecast in January

Source: wpsdtv.com

Avg.

Hi: 46

Lo: 33

5d: 40

BAE

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

1/18 1/19 1/20 1/21 1/22

Date

Hourly Temperatures for Princeton, KY

2630 14.5

Total fan hours = 70.5

BAE

Off-the-shelf Fan Control with Thermostats

HOUR METER

HEATINGTHERMOSTAT

COOLINGTHERMOSTAT

FAN

RELAY

Sept. 55 - 65Oct. 45 - 55Nov. 35 - 45

BAE

Commercial Fan Controllers

opistormax.com

agsense.net

agridryllc.com

23

Carol Jones, PhD.Stored Product EngineeringBiosystems and Ag. Engr. Dept.Stillwater, OK

RH and Temp Controllers

Partial list of vendors–OPI–The Boone Group–AgriDry Rimik–GSI–Caldwell/Chief-Agri

UMN Fan Programwebapps.bbe.umn.edu/fans/

• What do you need to know?– Bin

• Diameter, height and type of floor

– Desired airflow (cfm/bu)– Grain type– Fan (s)

• Motor size and fan type…select from 200+ fans• Specify fan arrangement

• What does the program generate?– Bushels, airflow, and static pressure at 3-ft

increments– Table or graph form(s)

Fan Performance (CFM vs SP)

webapps.bbe.umn.edu/fans/

Depth Bushels Airflowcfm

Airflowcfm/bu

S. P. in H2O

3 4343 34,670 8.0 0.86 8686 33,370 3.8 1.59 13,030 32,270 2.5 2.1

12 17,370 31,180 1.8 2.715 21,715 30,160 1.4 3.218 26,060 29,180 1.1 3.721 30,400 28,230 0.9 4.124 37,445 27,180 0.8 4.427 39,090 26,220 0.7 4.730 43,430 25,360 0.6 5.033 46,770 24,760 0.5 5.3

webapps.bbe.umn.edu/fans/

S.L.A.M.

Stored Grain Management• Sanitation• Bin Loading practices• Aeration• Safe Monitoring• Web sites for other information

BAE

How often should I check my grain?

BAE

Temperature Cable System

1. Thermocouple sensor cables

2. Cable suspension system

3. Leadwire extension

4. Readout plug5. Display

instrument

DABC

A

DC

B

BAE

Automated Insect Monitoring

www.opistormax.com

BAE

Automated Insect Monitoring

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OPIGIMAC Temperature and Insect Monitoring, Aeration Fan Control System

BAE

 Equilibrium Moisture Conditions for Corn

Temperature C F 40 50 60 65 70 80 902 35 11.8 13.3 14.8 15.7 16.6 18.7 21.74 40 11.5 12.9 14.5 15.3 16.2 18.3 21.3

10 50 10.9 12.3 13.8 14.7 15.5 17.6 20.516 60 10.3 11.8 13.3 14.1 15.0 17.0 19.9

Source: ASAE Data D245.4 / Average of two Prediction Eqns.

Relative Humidity, %

36

Carol Jones, PhD.Stored Product EngineeringBiosystems and Ag. Engr. Dept.Stillwater, OK

Monitoring Systems

•Manual Readout and log book

•Data Logger with manual plug in to thermocouples

•Computer interfaced automatic monitoring

Least expensive

Most expensive

37

Carol Jones, PhD.Stored Product EngineeringBiosystems and Ag. Engr. Dept.Stillwater, OK

Cost Estimates

•Aeration System: 6.0 – 12.0 ¢/bu•Controller:0.3 – 1.0 ¢/bu•Temperature Cables:0.3 – 1.0 ¢/bu

BAE

When Inspecting Stored Grain Always Work in Pairs !

BAE

Grain Inspection Tools

1. PPE – harness / dust masks

2. Bucket / plastic bags

3. Thermometer

4. Grain probe

5. Portable moisture meter

6. Psychrometer

BAE

Bin Rescue in Spring 2005

Resources

1. Midwest Plan Servicewww.mwps.org

2. Agricultural Engineering Departments in Midwest…at UK www.bae.uky.edu

3. GEAPSwww.geaps.org

4. USDA Grain Lab in KSwww.ars.usda.gov

5. GrainNetwww.grainnet.com

Questions?

Thanks for your attention…

What is REAP / GOAP?

• The Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) is offered through the USDA Rural Development

• The Kentucky Ag Development Fund provided money for state projects

• Provides assistance to agricultural and rural small businesses for energy efficiency improvements or renewable energy installations

Past Projects—Example 1

• Grain Dryer Controller upgrade– $3,078 per year

savings– 14.0 year payback

• Controller upgrades typically yield better paybacks due to lower initial cost and high price of over drying grain

Past Projects—Example 2

• Grain Dryer Replacement of old dryer with new energy efficiency model– $1,431 per year savings– 20.2 year payback

Old Dryer

New Dryer