Fuel for grain drier?

Chae1 · Mar 3, 2021

Has anyone done the sums on the best value fuel for there grain drier? Ours will run on gas oil or kerosene. Kerosene was a no brainer last year @18ppl in March.

I've searched the web looking for calorific values of both. They are both pretty similar kero 43.1mj/kg gasoil 45.5mj/kg. Then to confuse things further I found fuel density! Gasoil 36.9 mj/l never found anything definitive for kerosene.

Fergieman · Mar 3, 2021

We run ours on kerosene, cleaner burn apparently and it's also some spare for when the house runs out.

SilliamWhale · Mar 3, 2021

There isn't really a lot in it.

Mecmar did a blog post on it once. I buy kero unless the differential is wide

daveydiesel1 · Mar 3, 2021

Is it more or less economical runnin it on diesel/kero compared to a gas power drier

Robt · Mar 3, 2021

daveydiesel1 said:
Is it more or less economical runnin it on diesel/kero compared to a gas power drier

He means red or heating oil o think rather than gas

renewablejohn · Mar 3, 2021

charcoal slurry would be the cheapest but you would probably have to make it yourself.

Farma Parma · Mar 3, 2021

well if it means anything local Grain Coop until about 3 year or so ago used Kero from day one & that was when it all started in early 80's for all there grain drying needs.
they now use mains gas as its cheaper. Kero should out perform red diesel in any heating situation tho & its allways 10-12ppl cheaper in any case

daveydiesel1 · Mar 4, 2021

Robt said:
He means red or heating oil o think rather than gas

I know i was just wonderin out of the three which is cheapest

T C · Mar 4, 2021

I changed our old Alvan Blanch drier to kero.
It was a manual adjust for the low flame, just filled the tank with kero and did not need to adjust the amount of fuel. Seemed to run the same as red.
The disadvantage is kero does not lubricate pumps as well. Keep meaning to run the last few hours of the season on red but have not got round to doing it for 12 years now.

ollie989898 · Mar 4, 2021

I always assumed kero was cheaper as it attracted a lot less duty/tax that other fuels tend to attract. Even red diesel has a bit of tax on it, doesn't it?

Woldgrain Storage · Mar 4, 2021

Farma Parma said:
well if it means anything local Grain Coop until about 3 year or so ago used Kero from day one & that was when it all started in early 80's for all there grain drying needs.
they now use mains gas as its cheaper.

We are in the process of moving from Kerosene to mains gas. Our calculated savings came out at almost £1 per tonne dried, but with significant infrastructure costs.

I can't see drying on a farm scale being economically viable using gas, unless the mains pipe already comes to the farm gate.

Brisel · Mar 4, 2021

Fuel selection for mobile batch grain driers

Wondering what the best fuel for your mobile grain drier is? Or which is the most efficient? Read our blog post to find out.

www.mcarthuragriculture.co.uk

snarling bee · Mar 4, 2021

Big farm near here uses mains gas. By far the cheapest if you are near a connection.

7610 super q · Mar 4, 2021

Easier to just use diesel. Any surplus can go back in tractors etc. As an aside, I note Red Tractor now insist you keep a record of drier fuel use now. Has Red Tractor become the new Brexit ?

Renaultman · Mar 8, 2021

7610 super q said:
Easier to just use diesel. Any surplus can go back in tractors etc. As an aside, I note Red Tractor now insist you keep a record of drier fuel use now. Has Red Tractor become the new Brexit ?

Or the new HMRC.

7610 super q · Mar 10, 2021

How much diesel should a drier use per hour ? Master 12 ton. Only looking for an average figure, thanks.

Texelman · Mar 10, 2021

Kerosene is a much better buy than diesel.

Brisel · Mar 10, 2021

Texelman said:
Kerosene is a much better buy than diesel.

That depends on the price difference between the two you are comparing.

7610 super q · Mar 10, 2021

7610 super q said:
How much diesel should a drier use per hour ? Master 12 ton. Only looking for an average figure, thanks.

Masters website suggests 5L / ton taking out 5% moisture. Sound about right ?

Texelman · Mar 10, 2021

Brisel said:
That depends on the price difference between the two you are comparing.

With a price difference of around 15p per litre or 30% cheaper kerosene is a much better buy. Any greater than 10% cheaper would make kero the better buy

Fuel for grain drier?

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Up to 25%

25-50%

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75-100%

100% I’ve had enough of farming!

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