Cooling Potential of Bin Stored Wheat by Summer and Autumn Aeration

Abstract

A one-dimensional mathematical model based on the formulation of mass and energy balance in stored grain was used to simulate grains storage conditions. The objective of such simulations was to produce grain ventilation strategies. The model was validated using data obtained from the monitoring of wheat stored in a galvanized steel cylindrical tank with corrugated conical bottom ventilated by perforated distribution pipes. A control strategy based on night time aeration from July to November followed by day time aeration for December to January was applied. Good agreement between the predicted and measured storage conditions has been observed (R2= 0.9698, S.E.= 1.479 °C in average temperature and R2= 0.99, S.E.= 0.00079 kg kg-1for moisture content). Night time grain aeration provided sufficient cooling (temperature near 10 °C in November). However, an 18% grain humidification process was induced. Day time aeration started at the end of November corrected this humidification effect for a grain temperature of 15 °C and a grain moisture content of 15% on dry basis.

Keywords

• Heat and mass transfer
• Computer simulation
• Grain storage
• Mathematical modelling
• Warm climate
• Tunisia

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