# US 11,304,424 B2 · Method and apparatus to process grain process grain received from a dryer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,304,424 B2 - Document ID: US11304424B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/460,826 - Filed: 2021-08-30 - Published: 2022-03-24 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2020-09-18 - Assignees: LAW Iberica S.A. - Applicants: LAW Iberica S.A. - Inventors: Jaime Gasset Lázaro - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11304424B2 ## CPC - A23B 9/08: Drying; Subsequent reconstitution - F26B 21/001: {Air generating units, e.g. movable or independent of drying enclosure} - F26B 25/002: {for bulk goods} - F25D 17/06: by forced circulation - F26B 2200/06: Grains, e.g. cereals, wheat, rice, corn - A23B: PRESERVATION OF FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES - F26B: DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM (drying devices for combines A01D41/133; racks for drying fruit or vegetables A01F25/12; drying foodstuffs A23; drying hair A45D20/00; body-drying implements A47K10/00; drying household articles A47L; drying gases or vapours B01D; chemical or physical processes for dewatering or like separating liquids from solids B01D43/00; centrifugal apparatus B04; drying ceramics C04B33/30; drying yarns or fabrics in association with some other form of treatment D06C; drying frames for laundry without heating or positive air circulation, domestic laundry-or spin-driers, wringing or hot pressing laundry D06F; furnaces, kilns, ovens F27) - F25D: REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (refrigerated showcases A47F3/04; thermally-insulated vessels for domestic use A47J41/00; refrigerated vehicles, see the appropriate subclasses of classes B60 - B64; containers with thermal insulation in general B65D81/38; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials, e.g. refrigerants, or materials for the production of heat or cold by chemical reactions other than by combustion C09K5/00; thermally-insulated vessels for liquefied or solidified gases F17C; air-conditioning or air-humidification F24F; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B; cooling of instruments or comparable apparatus without refrigeration G12B) ## Abstract A method of processing grain from a dryer includes maintaining a transition zone within a volume of received grain, the transition zone being a cross section of the volume of the received grain that is at a same temperature, by cooling and drying the received grain; and extracting cooled grain. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of processing grain from a dryer, the method comprising: maintaining a transition zone within a volume of received grain in a tower, the transition zone being a cross: section of the volume of the received grain that is at a same temperature, by: sensing levels of the received grain at various locations within the tower; maintaining a level of the received grain within predetermined locations within the tower; measuring temperatures of the received grain at various locations within the tower; controlling a ventilation system to provide ventilation air to cool and dry the received grain; and controlling an extractor to extract the cooled grain from the grain tower. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the transition zone is moved in a direction within the volume of received grain by providing the ventilation air and in an opposite direction by extracting the cooled grain. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein the transition zone is moved between a first position at a first location of a first temperature sensor and a second position at a second location of a second temperature sensor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein when the transition zone reaches the first position, the providing the ventilation air is stopped, and when the transition zone reaches the second position, the extracting the cooled grain is stopped. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the grain is processed in first-in, first-out fashion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein a temperature of the grain from the dryer is received within a first predetermined temperature range, and a temperature of the cooled grain is extracted within a second predetermined temperature range. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein a temperature of the received grain is measured at several locations within the volume of the received grain at periodic intervals. ### Claim 8 An apparatus to process grain from a dryer, the apparatus comprising: a tower to receive the grain from the dryer; a control system including a controller, position sensors in communication with the controller to sense levels of the received grain at various locations within the tower, and temperature sensors in communication with the controller to sense temperatures of the received grain at various locations within the tower; a ventilation system to cool and dry the received grain; and an extractor to extract cooled grain from the tower, wherein the control system controls the ventilation system and the extractor to maintain a transition zone within a volume of received grain, the transition zone being a cross-section of the volume of the received grain that is at a same temperature, wherein the control system maintains the transition zone by: maintaining a level of the received grain within predetermined locations within the tower, controls the ventilation system to provide ventilation air to cool and dry the received grain, and controls the extractor to extract the cooled grain. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the transition zone is moved in a direction within the volume of received grain by providing the ventilation air and in an opposite direction by extracting the cooled grain. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the control system stops the ventilation system when the transition zone reaches a first position sensed by a first position sensor, and the control system stops the extractor when the transition zone reaches a second position sensed by a second position sensor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the control system controls receiving the grain from the dryer such that a temperature of the grain is within a first predetermined temperature range, and the control system controls extracting the cooled grain such that a temperature of the cooled grain is extracted within a second predetermined temperature range. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the controller processes temperatures of the received grain received by the temperature sensors at several locations within the volume of the received grain at periodic intervals. ### Claim 13 A control system to process grain from a dryer, the control system comprising: a controller; a plurality of temperature sensors each providing a temperature at a location within a volume of received grain from the dryer to the controller; a ventilation system to provide cooling air to the received grain; and an extractor to extract cooled grain from the volume of received grain, wherein the control system controls the ventilation system and the extractor based on temperatures provided by the plurality of temperature sensors to maintain a transition zone within the volume of received grain, the transition zone being a cross-section of the volume of the received grain that is at a same temperature, wherein the control system maintains the transition zone by: maintaining a level of the received grain within predetermined locations within the tower, controls the ventilation system to provide ventilation air to cool and dry the received grain, and controls the extractor to extract the cooled grain. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The control system according to claim 13, wherein the transition zone is moved in a direction within the volume of received grain by providing the ventilation air and in an opposite direction by extracting the cooled grain. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The control system according to claim 13, wherein the control system stops the ventilation system when the transition zone reaches a first position sensed by a first position sensor, and the control system stops the extractor when the transition zone reaches a second position sensed by a second position sensor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The control system s according to claim 13, wherein the control system controls receiving the grain from the dryer such that a temperature of the grain is within a first predetermined temperature range, and the control system controls extracting the cooled grain such that a temperature of the cooled grain is extracted within a second predetermined temperature range. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The control system according to claim 13, wherein the controller processes temperatures of the received grain received by the temperature sensors at several locations within the volume of the received grain at periodic intervals.