Method and apparatus for drying grain
OwnerDelbert Lussendeninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The embodiment of the invention disclosed herein is directed to a method and apparatus for drying grain. A refrigerating system is mounted within the closed-loop air duct structure which extends from an outlet to an inlet of a grain storage bin. The evaporator of the refrigerating system dries warm moisture-laden air as it passes through the closed-loop air duct. The air is then preheated by the compressor of the refrigeration system and finally heated by the condensor thereof. This heated air is then returned to the grain storage bin where it flows through a distributor for uniformly drying grain. An air flow bypass is provided at the inlet of the evaporator to take in outside air and vent off the warm moisture-laden air to atmosphere should the evaporator temperature increase beyond a predetermined point.
Claims13
Apparatus for drying and aerating grain comprising:
- a grain storage bin having top and bottom walls and side wall means, a refrigeration system including an evaporator, compressor and condensor, a first conduit means positioned about said refrigeration system for providing an air flow path from an inlet adjacent said evaporator, over said compressor and through an outlet adjacent said condensor, second conduit means between said top wall of said grain storage bin and said inlet of said first conduit means for providing an air flow path for moisture-laden air removed from said grain storage bin to be directed through said evaporator where moisture is condensed and removed to dry the air, and third conduit means between said outlet of said first conduit means and said bottom wall of said grain storage bin for directing dry air, which has been heated while passing through said first conduit means, into said grain storage bin for drying and aerating the grain stored therein, and said second conduit means including air flow control means for venting said moisture-laden air into the atmosphere prior to entering said inlet and for drawing outside air into said evaporator.
A grain drying system comprising a grain storage bin for housing grain to be dried and having an air inlet and an air outlet, a mobile support selectively movable to a position adjacent said bin, first conduit means mounted on and carried by said mobile support, a refrigeration system including an evaporator, a compressor a condensor enclosed within said first conduit means and carried by said mobile support, said first conduit means including an air flow path having an inlet adjacent to and upstream from said evaporator, an intermediate portion extending around said compressor and an outlet adjacent to and downstream from said condensor, said first conduit means directing air into contact with said evaporator to be cooled and dried thereby and subsequently into contact with the compressor and the evaporator to be heated thereby as the air flows through said first conduit means, second duct means detachably connectable between said outlet of the first duct means and the inlet of the bin, and third duct means detachably connectable between said inlet of the first duct means and the bin outlet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.