Evaluation of a new variable heat in-bin low temperature drying control strategy

摘要

Two tow temperature in-bin drying strategies were tested during the fall 2000 - continuous natural air vs. a new method utilizing variable heat burner control. Two identical bins were filled with 2,500 bu of corn at around 19 percent average moisturecontent on September 28th. By November 12th, continuous natural air resulted in a final average moisture content of 13.8 percent with a 2.4 percent point gradient between the top and bottom layers. The variable heat strategy resulted in a final averagemoisture content of 15.0 percent with a 0.7 percent point gradient. The new strategy reached the target moisture content of 15 percent with a minimal moisture gradient and without overdrying the bottom layers. The control strategy excluded the hours whenthe air was excessively dry and added a variable amount of heat when the air was excessively wet.