Solar heated grain drying system

Abstract

A solar heated grain drying system including a grain bin with a perforated floor and a solar collector for supplying heated air to the bin. The solar collector includes a plurality of elongate collector pipes, such as irrigation pipes, disposed in spaced side-by-side relation and a manifold connected between the pipes and the bin. Each pipe includes an inlet end receiving air from ambience and an outlet end connected to the intake portion of the manifold. A manifold intermediate portion connects the intake portion of the manifold to an exhaust portion. A duct connects the manifold exhaust portion to the grain bin and a fan is used for transferring air from the manifold exhaust portion through the duct and the perforated floor and through the grain. The manifold intermediate portion includes converging side walls to provide air flow through the manifold in a direction having a component in the same direction as the flow of air through the pipes.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.