Perforated twinwall for grain aeration

JD6920s

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Shropshire
Brilliant!
But I think you should cover the top 3 feet or so perforations with tape or something to make it flow from lower down to get a better area coverage!
 

Badshot

Member
Location
Kent
Brilliant!
But I think you should cover the top 3 feet or so perforations with tape or something to make it flow from lower down to get a better area coverage!
Don't worry. I gaffer taped a 3 foot length of solid pipe on the top and hoovered it right to the floor. So tis done.:cool:
 

einstein

Member
Location
Rutland
I know someone has said they use it in the past, and also that they used a hoover to put it in after filling the store.

I thought I'd give it a go today. I had some twinwall here, so zero cost.


See how it goes, won't get much cheaper that's for sure.
I'm amazed it dropped in so easily.
 

Badshot

Member
Location
Kent
I'm amazed it dropped in so easily.
So was I. I was leaning on it full weight but it's a hell of a lot easier than screwing hot spot spears in, I've the blisters to prove it.
Even if I have them every 6 feet, the cost and ease of use makes it by far the easiest and cheapest way to do it.
Each one will cost about a tenner.
 

Badshot

Member
Location
Kent
Very neat.

You putting a fan on top to get air flow?
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A rag taped round the top of the pipe gives a good seal so it has to suck from within the pipe.
 

Badshot

Member
Location
Kent
Thats an impressive hover. Not sure my Henry would be up to that.

Is that 4" pipe?
It's a gerni, spaldings supplied it, got the same output as a big brute motors, but a fraction of the cost, and I'm going to set up an intermediate collection bin. So will have the same size receptacle as the big brute too.
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
Great idea but I'm not sure how well it will ventilate ?

When polycool first started selling pedestals they didn't work well as they had a 300mm base and that didn't allow enough airflow to be effective at any decent radius - they moved to a 450mm base as a result that gave them more airflow than metal pedestals and they ten worked very well

So a length of 150 or 200mmm twin wall wouldn't have a lot of airflow at all, thats fine if you sticking them in every few feet but not if you are trying to ventilate a decent area IMO


I wonder if its possible to inserts a pedestal into a heap using this method though ? certainly would be better to do it after a store is full rather than during loading
 
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Badshot

Member
Location
Kent
Great idea but I'm not sure how well it will ventilate ?

When polycool first started selling pedestals they didn't work well with as they had a 300mm bse and that didn't allow enough airflow to be effective at any decent radius - they moved to a 450mm base as a result that gave them more airflow than metal pedestals and they ten worked very well

So a length of 150 or 200mmm twin wall wouldn't have a lot of airflow at all, thats fine if you sticking them in every few feet but not if you are trying to ventilate a decent area IMO


I wonder if its possible oi inserts a pedestal into a heap using this method though ? certainly would be better tyo do it after a store is full rather than during loading
I have 250 tonnes I'm going to use it on. Don't forget the bottom on the pipe is open and drawing from the very bottom of the heap so there's no restrictions on air flow at all.

Plus I've just costed it out at £6 each so they can.go close if need be. I've a sinar temp/moisture spear to keep an eye on things with.

To put pedestals in I think you'd need a sucker blower for it to work, 450 mm is massive.
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
I have 250 tonnes I'm going to use it on. Don't forget the bottom on the pipe is open and drawing from the very bottom of the heap so there's no restrictions on air flow at all.

Plus I've just costed it out at £6 each so they can.go close if need be. I've a sinar temp/moisture spear to keep an eye on things with.

To put pedestals in I think you'd need a sucker blower for it to work, 450 mm is massive.

The other problem you will have is that air will always take the route of least resistance so the holes towards the top will flow more than those lower down and air will be pulled through the top of the heap and not the bottom

This is why only the base of a pedestal is perforated and the exhaust pipes are solid

Although it's a cheap solution I really have my doubts that it will be at all effective
 

Badshot

Member
Location
Kent
The other problem you will have is that air will always take the route of least resistance so the holes towards the top will flow more than those lower down and air will be pulled through the top of the heap and not the bottom

This is why only the base of a pedestal is perforated and the exhaust pipes are solid

Although it's a cheap solution I really have my doubts that it will be at all effective
The top metre is solid.
 

wr.

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Breconshire
That's brilliant. We run a length of coiled perforated 4" around the bottom of our bins so we can give them a blow if needed. If they ever are needed, they are extremely effective and cheap as chips.
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
The top metre is solid.

that will certainly help as will placing them close together (but that will loose you storage space and mean lots of fan moves)

It's certainly a cheap solution but really do have doubts as to how much of the pile you will actually get air flowing through
 

Badshot

Member
Location
Kent
that will certainly help as will placing them close together (but that will loose you storage space and mean lots of fan moves)

It's certainly a cheap solution but really do have doubts as to how much of the pile you will actually get air flowing through
I agree on the fan moving but that's not such a hardship 30 secs per fan really.
Losing space though I'd be surprised. The 450 mm pedestals will displace an awful lot of grain wouldn't they?

I'm sure someone better at maths thsn me could work it out.

Apart from monitoring temperature, how can flow be checked?
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
If you want to use cheap twinwall I would do it this way
I agree on the fan moving but that's not such a hardship 30 secs per fan really.
Losing space though I'd be surprised. The 450 mm pedestals will displace an awful lot of grain wouldn't they?

I'm sure someone better at maths thsn me could work it out.

Apart from monitoring temperature, how can flow be checked?

you could use a pitot gauge to measure flow but the real test will be how well and even you are able to cool crops

If I was going to use twinwall I would lie it on the floor as laterals - that way you would get even airflow through the heap top to bottom

upload_2016-8-18_14-56-2.png
 

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Badshot

Member
Location
Kent
If you want to use cheap twinwall I would do it this way


you could use a pitot gauge to measure flow but the real test will be how well and even you are able to cool crops

If I was going to use twinwall I would lie it on the floor as laterals - that way you would get even airflow through the heap top to bottom

View attachment 383418
Just done a few calcs while moleploughing.

I can have almost exactly double the number of cooling points and not lose any extra space.

Assuming 3 m high each

Pedestals 1m x 450mm? Then 2m x 110mm?

Each pedestal is 0.235067 cubic m

Each 110mm one is 0.11404 cubic m

So two use 0.22808 cubic m


Or 2.06 small bore compared to each pedestal.

I will keep an eye on cooling.
I'm fairly confident though as I've kept 200 tonne cool with screw in spears before now.

What's the recommended spacing for pedestals?
 

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