Automated grain drying control system

Abstract

FIELD: agricultural engineering.SUBSTANCE: invention is used for drying and long-term storage of grain. The automated grain drying control system comprises perforated pipes located across the grain storage facility at different levels and evenly distributed along its length, with temperature sensors placed on them; at the ends of the perforated pipes there are flanges to which vortex tubes implementing the Ranque-Hilsch effect are bolted with a cold flow diffuser using mating flanges. Compressed air is supplied to the nozzle inlet of these tubes through flexible hoses from an air compressor station, configured to automatically turn on and regulate the flow of compressed air. Air is supplied to each vortex tube individually using a distribution valve unit, which can be controlled by an electronic control unit using data from grain moisture sensors located at various levels of the grain storage facility. The performance of the vortex tubes is regulated by changing the position of the vortex tube throttle, which is driven by a stepper motor. Forced ventilation of the grain storage facility is carried out using a vortex ejector, the operation of which is ensured by a flow of compressed air supplied from a distribution valve unit designed with the ability to be controlled by an electronic control unit.EFFECT: increasing the efficiency of grain drying.5 cl, 2 dwg

Description

[0001] The invention relates to agricultural engineering and is used for drying and long-term storage of grain.

[0002] The OBV-160A active ventilation bunker equipment is known. The disadvantages of the OBV-160A equipment include high construction and installation costs and the complexity of manufacturing the bunkers themselves.

[0003] A complex for drying and long-term storage of grain is known (patent No. 2202167 published on April 20, 2003), containing horizontally located containers for storing grain with air pipes for loading grain, an upper loading conveyor and a lower unloading conveyor, fans and electric heaters.

[0004] The disadvantage of the analogue is low efficiency due to the lack of the ability to regulate the temperature of the air supplied by the fans in order to cool the grain to the optimal temperature of 0…13°C in terms of reducing insect activity and slowing down the development of mold.

[0005] A device for oxygen-free storage of material is known, comprising a housing, inside which a container made of elastic material is placed with a hatch and a lid for hermetically sealing the container, wherein the container can be connected to a vacuum pump (see SU, author's note 515495, cl. A 01 F 26 / 16, 1977).

[0006] Also known is a grain storage facility containing a sealed container of vacuum-resistant design, connected to vacuum means (see L.A. Trisvyatsky et al. "Storage and Technology of Agricultural Products", 3rd ed., revised and supplemented. - M.: Kolos, 1983, pp. 169-171).

[0007] The disadvantage of this technical solution is the labor-intensive nature of the work to ensure a vacuum within this structure, which requires deepening the storage facility into the ground and additional work associated with this.

[0008] A device for ventilating and unloading grain materials in horizontal floor grain storage facilities is known from the prior art, comprising a fan, a main pumping duct and air distribution ducts with slotted openings in the side walls, which is provided with a centrally located box, in the lower part of which there are discharge openings for unloading the grain material and an unloading mechanical conveyor, for example a scraper conveyor, is installed, and in the upper part, a main pumping duct is located insulated from the conveyor. The air distribution ducts are connected to the main pumping duct, each by means of a flexible hose and are each installed with the possibility of being in a horizontal plane relative to a ball joint [RU Patent for Invention No. 2205783, published 10.06.2003, Bulletin No. 16].

[0009] The disadvantages of such an installation are the single-level arrangement of air distribution channels and the presence of a main discharge channel, which makes it impossible to create a large layer of ventilated grain in the grain storage facility and creates unnecessary pressure losses, and, consequently, increases energy costs for ventilation of the grain mass.

[0010] A system for ventilating a grain heap is known, comprising air preparation and supply equipment, pipelines and air distribution grates, characterized in that it additionally contains a static pressure chamber located under a layer of grain mass over its entire area with a pressure equal to the value of the resistance to the air flow of the grain layer [application for invention No. 95120994, published 02 / 27 / 1998].

[0011] The disadvantages of this system are the single-level arrangement of pipelines and the presence of a static pressure chamber, which makes it impossible to create a large layer of ventilated grain mass and increases energy costs for ventilation.

[0012] The above-mentioned shortcomings have been partially eliminated in the technical solution for a grain storage facility with a multi-level ventilation system [Russian Federation patent for utility model RU 170898 C1, published 05 / 15 / 2017, bulletin No. 14] selected as a prototype, which contains perforated pipes located across the grain storage facility at different levels and evenly distributed along its length, with temperature sensors and individual axial fans placed on them.

[0013] The disadvantages of the prototype are low grain drying efficiency due to:

[0014] 1. Lack of control over the temperature of the air supplied by the axial fans into the perforated pipes. Obviously, the air temperature supplied by the axial fans into the perforated pipes will correspond to the ambient air temperature. This circumstance will not always allow the grain to be cooled to the optimal temperature of 0–13°C, which reduces insect activity and slows mold growth.

[0015] 2. Lack of forced ventilation in the grain storage facility. It is known that in order to ensure the preservation of grain, regular removal of moist and contaminated air is required;

[0016] 3. Lack of monitoring of stored grain moisture.

[0017] Thus, the technical result of the proposed invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned disadvantages in order to increase the efficiency of grain drying.

[0018] This technical result is achieved by flanges on the ends of perforated pipes, to which vortex tubes are bolted with a cold flow diffuser and mating flanges. These tubes utilize the Ranque-Hilsch effect and are supplied with compressed air through flexible hoses from an air compressor station equipped with automatic activation and flow control. Air is supplied to each vortex tube individually via a distribution valve unit, which can be controlled by an electronic control unit using data from grain moisture sensors located at various levels of the grain storage facility. Vortex tube performance is regulated by varying the position of the vortex tube throttle, which is driven by a stepper motor.Forced ventilation of the grain storage facility is carried out using a vortex ejector, the operation of which is ensured by a flow of compressed air supplied from a distribution valve unit designed with the ability to be controlled by an electronic control unit.

[0019] The technical solution is explained by drawings, where:

[0020] Fig. 1 shows a basic diagram of a grain storage facility with a vortex ventilation system;

[0021] Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a vortex tube.

[0022] A grain storage facility with a vortex ventilation system comprises perforated pipes 1 located across the grain storage facility 2 at different levels and uniformly distributed along its length, with temperature 3 and humidity 4 sensors placed on them. At the ends of the perforated pipes 1 there are flanges (not shown in the figure) to which vortex pipes 6 are bolted with a cold flow diffuser 5 using mating flanges, implementing the Ranque-Hilsch effect, into the nozzle inlet of which compressed air is supplied through flexible hoses 7 through a valve block 8 from an air compressor station 9 designed with the possibility of automatically switching on and changing the flow rate of compressed air upon command from a control unit 10.

[0023] The temperature at the outlet of the cold 5 and hot 13 flow diffuser, vortex tube 6 is regulated by changing the flow area between its body and throttle 11, which makes it possible to regulate the overall pressure level in the vortex tube, and, consequently, the temperature at its outlets (Merkulov, A.P. Vortex effect and its application in technology / A.P. Merkulov. - Samara: Optima, 1997. - 184 p.). The position of the throttle is changed by stepper motor 12.

[0024] For the purpose of forced ventilation of the grain storage facility, a vortex ejector 14 is used, the operation of which is ensured by the flow of compressed air through a flexible hose 7 supplied through a valve block 8 from an air compressor station 9, which is designed with the possibility of control from an electronic control unit 10.

[0025] The operating principle of the vortex ventilation system is as follows. The operator sets the required temperature and humidity of the grain in the grain storage facility 2 using the electronic control unit 10. In this case, when an increase in the temperature or humidity of the grain is observed above the permissible value, a signal is sent from the temperature sensors 3 and humidity sensors 4 to the electronic control unit 10 to turn on the air compressor station 9, which supplies compressed air through flexible hoses 7 to the vortex tubes 6 installed with a cold flow diffuser (cold end) 5 through a flange on the ends of the perforated pipes 1. When compressed air enters the nozzle inlet, under the action of the Ranque-Hilsch effect in the vortex tube 6, the compressed air flow is divided into heated and cooled (Merkulov, A.P. Vortex effect and its application in technology / A.P. Merkulov. - Samara: Optima, 1997. - 184 p.).The heated air flow is then discharged into the atmosphere through hot air diffuser 13, while the cooled air flow enters the perforated pipes. Precise qualitative and quantitative temperature control of the air flow entering the perforated pipes 1 from the vortex tube 6 is achieved in two ways: by varying the compressed air flow rate by the air compressor station 9, and by varying the flow area between the vortex tube body 6 and the throttle 11, achieved by stepper motor 12.

[0026] For the purpose of effective regulation of the microclimate, forced ventilation of the grain storage facility 2 is additionally carried out, for which purpose a vortex ejector 14 is used, the operation of which is ensured by the flow of compressed air through a flexible hose 7 coming from a valve block 8, to which, in turn, air comes from an air compressor station 9, which is designed with the possibility of control from an electronic control unit 10.

[0027] It should be noted that this system allows, depending on the readings from sensors 3 and 4, to ensure the required characteristics of the drying air in each individual perforated pipe 1. This approach will allow for targeted action on different layers of grain, thus ensuring high-quality cooling, drying, and preservation.

Claims

1. An automated grain drying control system comprising perforated pipes located across a grain storage facility at various levels and uniformly distributed along its length, with temperature sensors placed on them, characterized in that flanges are made on the ends of the perforated pipes, to which vortex tubes implementing the Ranque-Hilsch effect are bolted by means of a cold flow diffuser with the help of mating flanges, into the nozzle inlet of which compressed air is supplied through flexible hoses from an air compressor station, designed with the possibility of automatic activation and regulation of the flow of compressed air.

2. The system according to paragraph 1, characterized in that air is supplied to each vortex tube individually using a distribution valve unit, designed with the possibility of control from an electronic control unit.

3. The system according to paragraph 1, characterized in that the regulation of the performance of the vortex tubes is carried out by changing the position of the vortex tube throttle, which is driven by a stepper motor.

4. The system according to paragraph 1, characterized in that grain moisture sensors located at different levels of the grain storage facility are used.

5. The system according to paragraph 1, characterized in that forced ventilation of the grain storage facility is carried out using a vortex ejector, the operation of which is ensured by a flow of compressed air supplied from a distribution valve unit, designed with the possibility of control from an electronic control unit.

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