Continuous airflow rate control in a recirculating batch grain dryer

摘要

As the energy efficiency requirements in agriculture increase, offers grain drying opportunities for substantial energy saving. Earlier work indicated that energy savings in grain drying can be achieved by controlling the drying airflow rate during the drying process. Aim of this study was to design an embedded control system, based on microcontroller, for continuous airflow rate control in a recirculating batch grain dryer, and to test it in a scaled-down research dryer. The control system proved to be working as designed, reducing the dryer airflow rate smoothly towards the end of the process. However, additional research of the energy efficiency and performance of the dryer using the airflow rate control is needed.