Bin vent apparatus and methods
AssigneeGrain Processing Corporation
InventorDerek S. Biggs
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bin vent apparatus is described herein for use on a storage bin for agricultural products. The storage bin can have a sidewall and a roof defining an interior. The bin vent apparatus includes a plurality of discrete, roof-mounted vent filters. Each of the vents has an inlet for receiving air from an interior of the bin, an outlet for venting air from the vent, a fluid flow path between the inlet and the outlet, and one or more filters disposed in the fluid flow path between the inlet and the outlet to filter the air received from the interior of the bin. A fan is disposed in the flow path and downstream of the one or more filters, the fan being operable to cause air to flow into the inlet, through the filter, and out of the outlet.
Claims21
A storage bin for agricultural products comprising an interior bounded by a cylindrical sidewall and a roof;
- an infeed opening in the roof through which agricultural products can be fed into the bin, at least one additional roof opening separate from the infeed opening;
- and a plurality of discrete, roof-mounted vent filters, each of the vent filters including an inlet for receiving air from the interior of the bin, wherein the inlet of each of the vents is connected to an associated opening in the roof, an outlet for venting air from the vent, a fluid flow path between the inlet and the outlet, and one or more filters disposed in the fluid flow path between the inlet and the outlet to filter the air received from the interior of the bin, and a fan disposed in the flow path and downstream of the one or more filters, the fan being selectively operable to cause air to flow into the inlet, through the filter, and out of the outlet;
- wherein each of the vent filters includes one or more pressurized air nozzles directed toward the filter on a downstream side thereof and in fluid communication with a source of pressurized air for cleaning the filter using pressurized air.
A storage bin for agricultural products comprising an interior bounded by a cylindrical sidewall and a roof;
- an infeed opening in the roof through which agricultural products can be fed into the bin, at least one additional roof opening separate from the infeed opening;
- and a plurality of discrete, roof-mounted vent filters, each of the vent filters including, within a housing, an inlet for receiving air from an interior of a bin, wherein the inlet of each of the vents is connected to an associated opening in the roof, an outlet for venting air from the vent, a fluid flow path between the inlet and the outlet, and plural discrete filters disposed in the fluid flow path between the inlet and the outlet to filter the air received from the interior of the bin, and a fan disposed in the flow path and downstream of the filters, the fan being selectively operable to cause air to flow into the inlet, through the filters, and out of the outlet.
A method comprising building a storage bin for agricultural products, the storage bin comprising an interior bounded by a cylindrical sidewall and a roof;
- an infeed opening in the roof through which agricultural products can be fed into the bin, at least one additional roof opening separate from the infeed opening;
- and a plurality of discrete, roof-mounted vent filters, each of the vent filters including, within a housing, an inlet for receiving air from an interior of a bin, wherein the inlet of each of the vents is connected to an associated opening in the roof, an outlet for venting air from the vent, a fluid flow path between the inlet and the outlet, and plural discrete filters disposed in the fluid flow path between the inlet and the outlet to filter the air received from the interior of the bin, and a fan disposed in the flow path and downstream of the filters, the fan being selectively operable to cause air to flow into the inlet, through the filters, and out of the outlet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.