Test of drying efficiency of a grain dryer
1987
Jowaman Khajarern | Sompong Chaiput (Khon Kaen Univ. (Thailand). Faculty of Agriculture. Dept. of Animal Science) | Watcharin Sajjawatana
This study aimed to test the drying efficiency of a Thailand-made grain dryer (Trop-tech Grain Dryer DS-5-FL) with drying system capacity 5 tons hour. The study included the determination of surface temperature of feed grains at three different sections on each of five tiers of this 5-ton continuous-flowed dryer at various time periods, ranging from 3 to 154 minutes of drying. It appeared that the surface temperature of corn grain at each point was not uniform; however, the temperature at each point was not over 65 deg. Celsius at which the dried grain would be over hardened at outer layer with softer interior. The drying efficiency of the dryer fluctuates widely with the initial moisture content of the grains. It could reduce up to 6.78 % moisture from high-moisture (20-22 %) grains and could reduce only 1.93 % moisture from the low-moisture ones (14.92 %). Starch granule of the outer layer of corn grains being dried by the dryer once and twice was destroyed as low as 0 to 3 and 0 to 5 % respectively. Only minute percentage of fat granule was disrupted by one or two dryings. Also, the nutritive value of dried grains in terms fo feed conversion ratios (FCR) or protein efficiency ratios (PER) of broilers or ducklings was not affected by number of drying cycles. Drying cost of corn grains was found to be Bht. 79.33/ton.
Show more [+] Less [-]AGROVOC Keywords
Bibliographic information
This bibliographic record has been provided by Kasetsart University