On-farm Bin Storage Sandra M. Frost UW Cooperative Extension Service

Crops Small grains, barley, wheat, oats Corn

Bin Types Low profile bins ft depth Deep bins ft depth Hopper-bottom bins

Bin Systems Safety equipment Loaders/augers Power sweep Perforated Floor Fans Dryers & heat recyclers Aerators Ventilators

Storage Goals Avoid crop loss at harvest Prolong crop storage life Maintain crop quality Increase value of crop National/international availability

Storage Principles Proper crop condition going into storage Control moisture Control temperature Control insects

Grain Conditioning Technology We dry a crop because we choose to harvest a slightly “wet” crop to avoid harvest losses

Management Moisture content for crops: –Shelled corn at 13% to 15.5% –Wheat, barley, oats at 13% –Sunflowers at 8% to 10% No advantage to frozen grain Clean grain has uniform air spaces Distribute/eliminate fines in bin

S.L.A.M. Sanitation Loading Aeration Monitoring

Bin Sanitation Clean and sanitize aeration ducts, augers, floors Remove weeds, trash, moldy crop Spray insecticides while bin is empty Clean/inspect/replace aeration equipment and dryers

Loading Optimize handling & storage operations Operate augers at capacity, slow speed Use a spreader to fill bin Core the fines from center of grain level peaked grain ASAP Record grain moistures going into storage Screen for mycotoxins

Aeration Goals To cool dried grain uniformly to o F. Move cooling front completely through and out of grain mass Avoid condensation on inside walls/roof Maintain low grain temps as long as possible

Aeration Aeration rates depend upon 4 factors. –Bin type –Air distribution system –Desired grain moisture content –Management practices Fall Spring

Aeration Air flow either positive pressure (flow up) or negative (flow down) Ventilation required during fan operation Fan operation times depend upon airflow rate

Monitoring Check for insects while grain temperature is above 50 F. If found then fumigate. Fumigation will not be effective below 50 F. Temperatures below 50 F will control insects Inspect grain surface at least every other week Walk on grain, poke into it, check for hot spots or insect infestations.

From Warm to Cool From Wet to Dry

Drying Warms the kernel – water leaves kernel through osmosis Evaporates water from the kernel surface For grain, to remove 1 lb water takes 1300 BTU’s at 60 o F.

Drying Methods Equilibrium –Natural air and fans –Relative vapor pressure –Charts –Drying front moves through grain

Drying Methods Non-equilibrium –Heated air in a bin or column dryer

Quantity of Grain

Drying Calculations to get the amount of grain stored You can calculate the size of the job You can relate it all to the speed of harvest for bin management

Safety Safety equipment Loaders/augers Power sweep Perforated Floor Fans Dryers & heat recyclers Aerators Ventilators

Bin Safety Enter a bin only if you know its history and if you are not alone If grain has not been removed you should see a cone in the middle of the bin. If grain has been removed you should see a flat area or inverted cone, and a shiny surface on the side of the bin. If you do not see these signs, surface may be crusted and unsafe to enter.

Bin Safety Label bins to warn of entrapment hazard Lock entrances Install ladders inside bins Do not enter while loading/unloading

Bin Safety Shut off and lock out power when entering Wear NIOSH-approved dust filter respirators Be cautious of grain that is out of condition Do not work alone in bins

Bin Safety 3 kinds of entrapment –Flowing grain: auger creates funnel effect –Grain bridge over hollow cavity –Avalanche of vertical grain wall

Bin Safety Prevention –Lock out power sources before entering –Work from the top down –Wear body harness, have inside ladder

Precaution ! The maximum temperature for drying barley is 100 F. Higher temperatures will kill the embryo in the barley kernel. A dead embryo will NOT make beer!