Carol Jones, Ph.D., P.E. Stored Products Engineer Biosystems and Ag Engineering Quality Grain Management and Safety

Objective of Storage: Primary: To maintain QUALITY of stored products after harvest and before end use! Safety $$$$$$

Dilemma of Storage: Quality NEVER improves during storage!

Causes of Grain Spoilage Solar vs. shaded effect moisture migration, condensation, wall cakingmoisture migration, condensation, wall caking Day vs. night time effect headspace condensation, surface crustingheadspace condensation, surface crusting Self-heating of stored product biological vs. chemical heatingbiological vs. chemical heating Moisture infiltration bolt holes, cracks, spouts, bin sheets, ventsbolt holes, cracks, spouts, bin sheets, vents

50°F60°F70°F80°F Wheat

Where to look for answers? Are your roof vents adequate? Are your roof vents adequate? Are your roof vents adequate? Are your roof vents adequate? Do you have aeration or enough aeration? Do you have aeration or enough aeration? Do you have aeration or enough aeration? Do you have aeration or enough aeration? Do you need to monitor differently to detect problems earlier? Do you need to monitor differently to detect problems earlier? Do you need to monitor differently to detect problems earlier? Do you need to monitor differently to detect problems earlier?

How Clean is Your Equipment? Handling equipmentHandling equipment Transportation vehiclesTransportation vehicles Storage structuresStorage structures inside and outsideinside and outside Pest preventionPest prevention Sanitation Controls Pests!Sanitation Controls Pests!

Sanitation

Clean Roof Vents to Prevent Aeration Problems

Empty Bin Treatment

Over-Filling Poor head space ventilationPoor head space ventilation Spoiled grain on silo wallSpoiled grain on silo wall Impossible to monitor grain surfaceImpossible to monitor grain surface

Core of fines Foreign Material (FM)Foreign Material (FM) Broken grainBroken grain Weed seedsWeed seeds

Coring One time coring Eliminate grain peak Remove core of fines Improve airflow through center Better monitor grain surface

Aeration Airflow Rates – Dry Grain Minimum: 0.1 – 0.3 ft 3 /min/bu (CFM/bu)Ideal: 0.5 – 1 ft 3 /min/bu (CFM/bu)

Doubling the airflow rate halves the cooling time! Approximate/Minimum Grain Cooling Times (60 lb/bu TW)

Move Aeration Front through grain mass as quickly as possible! Aeration Front

Roof Vents PassivePowered Sizing Vents Sizing Vents Exhaust Fans Exhaust Fans

Sizing Roof Vents… An example: 66,000 bu at 0.1 cfm/bu = 6600 cfm So…6.6 ft 2 in vent open area…at least 6.6/1.25 = 5.28 vents …. 6 mushroom vents reqd 6 mushroom vents reqd Brock vent 6600 cfm 6.6 ft 2 = 1.3 ft 2 = 1.25ft 2 1 ft 2 per 1000 cfm

Exhaust Fans 25% greater cfm than the cooling fan 18”: ½ HP (4,000 cfm) 24”: 2HP (10,650 cfm) Caution: operation w/o supply fans on requires passive roof venting

Influence of Aeration Cooling on Insect Mortality

Monitoring TemperatureTemperature MoistureMoisture MoldsMolds InsectsInsects present or absentpresent or absent population growthpopulation growth pest control (fumigation)pest control (fumigation) RodentsRodents

Why monitor?  You can’t manage what you don’t know is there! Detection of grain spoilage problemsDetection of grain spoilage problems Detection of pestsDetection of pests Determination of population dynamicsDetermination of population dynamics Evaluation of pesticide applicationsEvaluation of pesticide applications

When things go wrong… Bridging…Avalanches… Key to safety is keeping grain in good condition in the first placeKey to safety is keeping grain in good condition in the first place No reason to enter binNo reason to enter bin Saves dollars….Saves dollars…. Saves equipment and fumigant….Saves equipment and fumigant…. Saves LIVESSaves LIVES

Cofferdam Testing… Purpose: Allow grain to be removed from around an entrapped victim

Cofferdam Testing How much force to insert into grainHow much force to insert into grain Corn (14% MC)…3 feet deep… straight down…steady forceCorn (14% MC)…3 feet deep… straight down…steady force Six units testedSix units tested Aluminum Coffer Dam from Lambton 4H Farm SafetyAluminum Coffer Dam from Lambton 4H Farm Safety Birch Coffer DamBirch Coffer Dam GSI productGSI product Boards built by Okla. State Univ.Boards built by Okla. State Univ. KC Supply productKC Supply product Liberty TubeLiberty Tube

Cofferdam Testing… Single Sections: Ranged from 700 lbs for Birch and OSU boards to 1300 lbs for GSI and KC Supply Product s Two Sections together added 20%

Cofferdam Testing… KS Supply and GSI: Handles Handles Latches Latches KC Supply lighter and narrower GSI fewer sections

Cofferdam Testing… Lambton 4H aluminum panels: Light weight Light weight Mid range force required Mid range force required Wide Wide Need larger hand holes for handling Need larger hand holes for handling

Cofferdam Testing… Birch and OSU Boards: Light weight Light weight Less Force Required Less Force Required Ease of attachment Ease of attachment ….Ropes for OSU ….Channels for Birch makes a square Multifunctional Multifunctional

Cofferdam Testing… Liberty Tube: Light weight Light weight Hard to connect Hard to connect Impact driver noise Impact driver noise Twisted and Collapsed Twisted and Collapsed Can be curled to get through openings Can be curled to get through openings

High Angle Rescue Equipment… the Aspen Lift - Displayed GEAPS POD…Available from KC Supply…Patent Pending

Aspen Lift Aspen Lift

Training…. Awareness Level I DVD Will be available this summer grain conditioning prevention bin entry procedures why things go wrong what to do ‘til help arrives regulations Mid Level Training…offered now through OK CareerTech Advanced Level Training…in development…beta class given Cherokee Strip Connection Team: WB Johnston Grain, OSU, Triangle Insurance, OK CareerTech, Enid Fire Dept.

Cherokee Strip Connection…. Cherokee Strip Connection Team: WB Johnston Grain Triangle Insurance OSU OK CareerTech Enid Fire Dept. Support from Oklahoma Grain and Feed Assoc and Oklahoma Rural Coop Assoc

Carol Jones, Ph.D., P.E. Stored Products Engineer Biosystems and Ag Engineering Grain Conditioning = Safety Proper Storage and Handling of product + Training + Proper Equipment ═ $$$$ safer work environment Saving LIVES

Carol Jones, Ph.D., P.E. Stored Products Engineer Biosystems and Ag Engineering Questions…… storedproducts.okstate.edu biosystems.okstate.edu/home/jcarol