Method for storing agricultural bulk goods, in particular tobacco, in a storage shed under conditioned conditions

Abstract

In order to store agricultural bulk goods, such as tobacco, in a large storage shed 1 in a conditioned environment, a tent 3 is set up in the storage shed 1. The tent 3 consists of an inflatable tent frame 9 with an airtight foil 15 over it. The atmosphere in the tent 3 is conditioned by a nitrogen generator 17, whereby the temperature in the space 7 inside the tent 3 is measured and the nitrogen generated by the nitrogen generator 17 is heated or cooled based on the difference between the temperature in the space and the desired temperature and whereby the humidity in the space 7 inside the tent 3 is measured and the nitrogen generated by the nitrogen generator is dried or humidified based on the difference between the humidity in the space 7 and the desired humidity.

Description

[0001] Method for storing agricultural bulk goods, in particular tobacco, in a storage shed under conditioned conditions

[0002] DESCRIPTION:

[0003] Technical field of the invention

[0004] The invention relates to a method for storing more than 100 m of agricultural bulk goods under conditioned conditions in a storage shed. More specifically, the invention relates to storing tobacco, because the quality of this is strongly influenced by the conditions during storage. In this method, the bulk goods are stored in a storage shed, in a space separated from the rest of the space in the storage shed by a tent, and the space in the tent is conditioned.

[0005] Background of the invention

[0006] In a known method for storing tobacco under conditioned conditions, an airtight foil is applied around three or fewer boxes filled with tobacco, then the space inside the foil is conditioned, for example by introducing nitrogen, and then the foil is sealed airtight.

[0007] It is also known to place tobacco in a bag that forms a lining of a box and to condition the space in the bag.

[0008] A method according to the preamble of claim 1 is known from CN 204244980 U. This known method is particularly suitable for storing large quantities of tobacco in a storage shed without the need to pack boxes filled with tobacco in a foil. Boxes containing agricultural bulk goods such as tobacco do not first have to be packed individually or in small numbers in a conditioned manner in a foil and then stored in a storage shed, but boxes filled with tobacco can be placed unconditioned in a tent in the storage shed, after which the space in the tent is conditioned.

[0009] Summary of the invention An object of the invention is to provide a method with which tobacco can be stored in a storage shed more efficiently. To this end, the method according to the invention is characterised in that the bulk goods are stored in the tent by placing an inflatable frame with an airtight foil connected to it in the storage shed. The inflatable frame can be placed in the storage shed and then the airtight foil can be placed over the inflated frame or hung inside the frame. The airtight foil can also be attached to the inflatable frame so that only the frame needs to be inflated. By simplifying the setting up of the tent frame, the conditioned storage of large quantities of agricultural bulk goods and in particular tobacco can take place more quickly than with the known method, which means that storage can be carried out more efficiently.

[0010] With the method according to the invention, large quantities of agricultural bulk goods such as tobacco can be stored efficiently in existing storage sheds, which prevents weight and quality loss of the bulk goods and in particular tobacco. The method according to the invention is environmentally friendly and safe for workers. Furthermore, with the method according to the invention, all insects present in the bulk goods are killed without using chemicals. Storing agricultural bulk goods in the tent can be achieved by first placing an inflatable tent frame on a floor of the storage warehouse and then applying an airtight foil over the tent frame in such a way that the foil connects to the floor of the storage warehouse over the entire circumference of the tent frame.

[0011] Storing agricultural bulk goods in the tent can also be achieved by first placing an inflatable tent frame on a floor of the storage warehouse and then applying a tube- shaped foil around the tent frame or by applying an inflatable tent frame in a tubeshaped foil.

[0012] The space in the tent is preferably conditioned by connecting a nitrogen generator to the space in the tent and then introducing nitrogen into the space, whereby the temperature in the space inside the tent is measured and the nitrogen generated by the nitrogen generator is heated or cooled based on the difference between the temperature in the space and the desired temperature and / or whereby the air humidity in the space inside the tent is measured and the nitrogen generated by the nitrogen generator is dried or humidified based on the difference between the air humidity in the space and the desired air humidity. When introducing nitrogen into the space inside the tent, air present in the space will escape from the space under the parts of the foil present on the floor. If a tube-shaped foil is used, this is not possible and preferably extraction equipment is connected to the space in the tent.

[0013] Preferably, the oxygen content in the space within the tent is measured and the introduction of nitrogen into the space and any extraction of air from the space is controlled on the basis of the oxygen content in the space and the desired maximum oxygen content.

[0014] Brief description of the drawings

[0015] The invention will be further elucidated below on the basis of drawings. These drawings show an embodiment of the method according to the present invention. In the drawings:

[0016] Figure 1 shows a storage shed with a tent frame present therein;

[0017] Figure 2 shows a first embodiment of the tent for use in the method;

[0018] Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of the tent for use in the method;

[0019] Figure 4 shows a third embodiment of the tent for use in the method; and Figure 5 shows the inflatable frame of the tent shown in figure 4.

[0020] Detailed description of the drawings

[0021] In the method according to the invention for storing a large quantity of Q tobacco 2 (more than 100 m ) in a storage shed 1 under conditioned conditions, part of the space 5 in the storage shed 1 is separated by setting up a tent 3 in the storage shed 1. The tobacco 2 is stored in the tent 3, whereby the space 7 in the tent 3 is conditioned so that the quality of the tobacco 2 remains good for longer. The tent 3 consists of an inflatable tent frame 9 with an airtight foil 13 applied over it. This means that the entire space 5 in the storage warehouse 1 does not have to be conditioned.

[0022] Figure 1 shows a method for building a tent 3 in a storage warehouse 1. In this method, an inflatable tent frame 9 is first placed on the floor 11 of the storage warehouse 1 and the tent frame is inflated by means of a compressor. Then an airtight foil 13 is applied over the tent frame 9, see figure 2, the edges of which lie on the floor 11 of the storage warehouse 1. These edges can be weighted with, for example, beams 14, to obtain an airtight connection of the foil 13 to the floor 11. If necessary, a tent floor 16 can be applied inside the tent frame 9. In the tent 3 thus formed, tobacco 2, for example present in cardboard boxes, can be stored. The tobacco 2 can be kept well by conditioning the space 7 in the tent 3, by regulating the oxygen content, the temperature and the humidity, among other things. For this purpose, a nitrogen generator is connected to the tent 3 with which nitrogen is blown into the space 7 in the tent 3. While nitrogen is blown into the tent, air present in the space will escape from the space under the parts of the foil present on the floor. Furthermore, a heater 21 and a humidifier / dryer 23 can be placed in the space 7 in the tent 3 to condition the space 7.

[0023] Figure 3 shows another method for erecting a tent 3 in a storage shed 1. In this case, the foil is designed as a tube-shaped foil 15. The inflatable tent frame can be placed in the tubular foil 15 or the inflatable tent frame can first be inflated after which the tubular foil 15 is placed over it. Tobacco can then be brought into the tent, after which the tubular foil 15 is sealed at the ends.

[0024] A nitrogen generator 17 and an exhaust device 19 are then connected to the space 5 in the tent 3 to condition the atmosphere in the space. The introduction of nitrogen into the space and any extraction of air from the space is controlled on the basis of the measured oxygen content in the space and the desired maximum oxygen content. The temperature in the space 7 within the tent 3 is controlled by heating or cooling the nitrogen generated by the nitrogen generator 17. The humidity in the space 7 within the tent 3 can also be controlled by drying or humidifying the nitrogen generated by the nitrogen generator. The equipment for drying / humidifying and heating / cooling the nitrogen can be built into the nitrogen generator 17. In addition to the oxygen content, the temperature and the humidity, other properties of the atmosphere in the space within the tent can be monitored and controlled, such as the pressure and the CO2 and N2O content.

[0025] Figure 4 shows yet another embodiment of the inflatable tent which can be used in one of the methods described above. The inflated tent frame 27 of this tent 25 consists of a number of U-shaped uprights 31 with feet 33 at the ends with which the tent frame 27 rests on the floor. The uprights 31 are connected to each other at the top via horizontal inflated tubular connecting pieces 35. Preferably, the spaces in these connecting pieces 35 and in the uprights 31 are not connected to each other in order to prevent the entire frame 27 from deflating in the event of leakage. The spaces in the feet 33 are preferably connected to the space in the upright 31 so that not too many separate spaces need to be inflated and need to be set up when setting up the frame. The U- shaped uprights are preferably made of one piece with one space so that the gas pressure is the same everywhere in a upright and the upright is therefore always upright. A gastight foil 29 is present over the tent frame 27, which is applied gas-tight to the floor by, for example, weighing down the edge of the foil on the floor with beams or stones. For the sake of clarity, the inflated frame 27 of the tent shown in figure 4 is shown separately in figure 5 without the foil present over it.

[0026] Although the invention has been explained above with reference to the drawings, it should be noted that the invention is by no means limited to the embodiment shown in the drawings. The invention also extends to all embodiments deviating from the embodiment shown in the drawings within the framework defined by the claims. For example, the method can also be used to store other agricultural bulk goods than tobacco under conditioned circumstances, such as tea.

Claims

CLAIMS:Q1. Method for storing more than 100 m of agricultural bulk goods, in particular tobacco (2) under conditioned conditions in a storage shed (1), whereby the bulk goods (2) are stored in a space (7) separated from the rest of the space (5) in the storage shed (1) by a tent (3) and the space (7) is conditioned in the tent (3; 25), characterised in that the bulk goods (2) are stored in the tent (3) by installing an inflatable frame (9; 27) with an airtight foil (13; 15; 29) connected to it in the storage shed.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the storing of agricultural bulk goods (2) in the tent (3) is carried out by first placing the inflatable tent frame (9; 27) on a floor (11) of the storage shed (1) and then applying the airtight foil (13; 29) over the tent frame (9; 27) in such a way that the foil (13; 29) connects to the floor (11) of the storage shed (1) over the entire circumference of the tent frame (9; 27).

3. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the storing of agricultural bulk goods (2) in the tent (3) is carried out by first placing the inflatable tent frame (9) on a floor (11) of the storage shed (1) and then applying a tube- shaped foil (15) around the tent frame (9) or by applying an inflatable tent frame (9) in a tubeshaped foil (15).

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the conditioning of the space (7) in the tent (3) is carried out by connecting a nitrogen generator (17) to the space (7) in the tent (3) and then introducing nitrogen into the space (7), whereby the temperature in the space (7) inside the tent (3) is measured and the nitrogen generated by the nitrogen generator (17) is heated or cooled on the basis of the difference between the temperature in the space and the desired temperature and / or whereby the air humidity in the space (7) inside the tent (3) is measured and the nitrogen generated by the nitrogen generator is dried or humidified on the basis of the difference between the air humidity in the space (7) and the desired air humidity.

5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that an extraction device (19) is also connected to the space (7) in the tent (3) and air is extracted from the space (7).

6. Method according to claim 4 or 5, characterised in that the oxygen content in the space (7) within the tent (3) is measured and the introduction of nitrogen into the space and any extraction of air from the space is controlled on the basis of the oxygen content in the space and the desired maximum oxygen content.

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