Automated control of grain drying process | Автоматизация контроля процесса сушки зерна
2009
Ogorodniks, V.S. | Kleperis, Ya.Ya. | Kristinsh', A.A. | Gvardina, I,V., Latvia University | Tsesnieks, A.A. | Vilde, A.A., Latvia Univ. of Agriculture
A self-made ecological barn, which is situated on the Mazkalnini individual agricultural farm in Tervete Region (Latvia), was equipped with a grain storing and drying facility having computerized monitoring of moisture and temperature. The equipment was designed to bring the condition of the air to the desirable temperature and humidity by preheating it with solar energy and/or a furnace heated with wood. Temperature and humidity control was carried out at 5 points of the grain storing and drying facility of the farm. Two permanent sensors were fixed: the 1 sensor in the supply channel of the warm air, and the 2 sensor on the outside wall of the grain storing and drying facility. Three additional sensors could freely move through the bulk of the grain, and/or plunge into the layer of grain to the required depth. The computer-aided control opens new opportunities for optimization of the drying process. An optimum strategy of drying is chosen on the basis of current target technological parameters: climatic conditions of the environment, temperature and humidity of the warm air in the channel, and also the moisture content of grain. Under the action of sun the air in the pipe covered with a black film heats up to the temperature 1 to 3 deg C higher than the temperature of the atmospheric air. By means of a ventilator the warm air moves into bins/containers 1, 2 and 3. In case of bad weather (cloudy weather, too low temperature of the atmospheric air) solar heating only is not sufficient for grain drying. In this case the air can be additionally warmed up in the furnace located right at the end of the pipe. The heat is produced by burning firewood in the furnace. Thus, there are two operating modes: the main mode, in which the temperature of the air rises owing to the solar energy, and the additional mode (under bad meteorological conditions), in which the necessary heat is added owing to the air passing through the pipe from the wood furnace
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