Process and apparatus for drying grain in situ
OwnerClifton Stanley Shortinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is an apparatus and process for drying grains in situ immediately after harvesting without having to remove the moisture-containing grain from the truck or bin in which it was collected in the field during harvest. Perforated duct means are located longitudinally throughout the bin near the substantially air impervious floor of the bin, and this, in conjunction with perforated side panels within the bin, allows for heated air under pressure within the duct to be forced laterally outwardly through the grain and through the perforated side panels wherein the moisture-containing hot air is then allowed to exit upwardly through a flue space defined by the perforated side panels and the normal side panels of the bin or the like.
Claims13
Apparatus for drying grains in situ in a grain bin having an upper grain surface when filled, comprising in combination:
- a. a generally rectangular bin of a substantial length and width comprising;
- 1. a normally horizontal air impervious floor;
- 2. vertical side panels running lengthwise of the bin to define the length of the bin, said side panels having a large number of perforations substantially throughout its surface, with said perforations being smaller in size than the grain to be dried to allow air to pass and prevent grain from passing therethrough;
- and
- 3. vertical end panels normally perpendicular to the side panels to define the ends of the bin;
- b. perforated duct means adjacent the floor of said bin running longitudinally the length of the bin, said perforated duct means being spaced and located such that the horizontal distance from the perforations of the duct means to the nearest side panel is less than the vertical distance from the uppermost perforations of the duct means to the location of the upper grain surface, the perforations of said perforated duct means are of a size small enough to prevent the grain to be dried from entering said duct, said duct means further having hot air receiving means for receiving hot air under pressure from a source exterior of the bin into one end of the duct means and the other end of the duct means being in an airtight seal;
- and
- c. high-pressure power driven air fan means and associated air heater means arranged exteriorly of the bin and operatively associated with said hot air receiving means of the perforated duct means to force hot air under pressure into the perforated duct means, to provide lateral flow of hot dry air from the perforated duct means towards the perforated side panels whereby the hot air removes the moisture from the grain to be dried and the air and moisture pass both through the perforations of the side panels and through the top grain surface.
A process for drying moisture containing grain in situ in a grain bin having an upper grain surface, said bin having an air impervious floor, side panels defining the length of the bin with said side panels having perforations to allow air to pass there through without the passage of the grain to be dried, perforated duct means to convey heated air into said grain bin, said bin further having end panel to define the width of the bin, said process comprising in combination:
- a. heating and pressurizing air exteriorly of the bin;
- b. directing said heated air under pressure into the bin and along the longitudinal length of the bin near the floor at points nearer to the perforated side panels than the grain surface;
- c. directing the heated air under pressure both laterally and outwardly from the interior of the bin towards the perforated side panels and also upwardly towards the grain surface throughout the grain and contacting the heated air with the moisture containing grain to pick up moisture from the grain;
- and then
- d. further directing said heated air containing moisture both to and through the perforated side panels and also upwardly and out through said grain surface by:
- 1. directing said heated air under pressure into said perforated duct means extending along the longitudinal length of said grain bin with said duct being located near the floor of the bin at a distance such that the vertical height from the perforations of the duct means to the grain surface is greater than the distance from the perforated side panels to provide sufficient confinement of the heated air to force said heated air outwardly laterally to and through the side panels while at the same time a sufficient portion of the heated air moves upwardly throughout the grain and exits from the grain surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.