Named the advantages and disadvantages of different grafting for drying grain
Drying grain using alternative fuels is becoming more and more popular. Elevator farm "Agrotekhnika" shared its experience of drying for scion from pine, energy willow, as well as pellets.
Andrey Glubitsky, head of the elevator facilities of Agrotekhnika LLC, spoke about this during the All-Ukrainian practical forum "Own Elevator".
“In using the scion, sometimes there are difficulties due to the faction - it is not always stable. When the pieces are too large, the auger becomes clogged and because of this, the temperature in the heat generator begins to drop. In this case, after 2-3 hours, we notice the underdrying of the grain and return it for re-drying. We consistently use pine grafts of our own production. Its fraction is approximately 25-35 mm, which is the optimal size and does not provoke clogging of the screw,” notes Andrey Glubitsky.
The disadvantage of pine scion, he says, is its excessive moisture in case of improper harvesting. Therefore, it hangs in the receiving hopper and holes are formed. If the operator does not notice this, the temperature in the heat generator drops again.
“Given these points, we achieve only 2/3 of the declared drying capacity, despite the fact that the heat generator gives a temperature of 120, even 140 degrees. One of the reasons for this situation is the influence of the human factor. Therefore, to control the temperature in heat generators, we plan to install a system with an audible signal that notifies the operator about changes in the operation of the equipment,” says Andrey Glubitsky.
The company also tried to dry grain using energy willow. Its advantage is good flowability and dryness. However, it is too thin and soft, which is why it burns out very quickly. So, in the course of comparing chips from different tree species, it was determined that it takes 3 kg to remove one ton-percent from energy willow corn, and 2.5 kg from pine.
“We also used sunflower husk pellets. They provide stable combustion. For the experiment, we tried pine pellets, but they lead to slippage, which is why you need to clean the heat generator often. Thus, pine grafts are the best option in terms of price and quality among alternative fuels,” adds Andrey Glubitsky.