Blowing cold wheat with warm ambient air

[Grass And Grain]

Wheat in store is 5 degrees C and 15.8% moisture.

Is it ok to blow it now with ambient air (about 15-20 degrees), as i want to bring the moisture down to under 15 if possible.

Just worried if it might cause condensation in the heap? Or will it be ok?

 

[Brisel]

It will be fine, but will keep for less time though the reduction in moisture will help & I guess you want to sell it soon anyway. How will you do it? You'll need a fair amount of air flow to dry it and prevent the moisture condensing in the upper layers.

 

[ZXR17]

What is the humidity ? It is very high here at the moment , 90 % , so you wouldn't dry it without a burner to bring the humidity level down. I think it needs to be 65 % or lower if I remember correctly.

 

[Grass And Grain]

Thanks guys. Brisel, you're so helpful posting all your tables and diagrams, don't know where you find them all from.

Just got pedestals, which can either suck or blow.

They took 1 percent of moisture out of the heap in late summer, but didn't have many nice dry days available after harvest before the autumn weather set in.

I understand that it is more difficult to get that last percent out to take it below 15.

Maybe I should try ventilating when ambient is say 10 degrees to try and slowly raise the temp of the heap before hitting it with mid afternoon temperatures.

No artificial heat, as just got the pedestals.

Didn't want to suck, then get condensation in the bottom of the heap and have a disaster.

Edit. Think I need to get myself a hygrometer.

 

[Brisel]

Try blowing. You'll get the friction of the fan and some of the heat of the motor into the heap. You can buy wet/dry bulb hygrometers from eBay

 

[Grass And Grain]

Sounds like a plan.

 

[Brisel]

 

[Renaultman]

 

[Renaultman]

So ideally you want periods of doing both? A suck and blow situation if you like?

 

[Grass And Grain]

So ideally you want periods of doing both? A suck and blow situation if you like?

That's what I've been thinking. It should get a more even temp (or moisture, if that is what you are trying to manipulate) across the heap.

 

[Pan mixer]

Looks like blowing is best if your pedestals are close enough.

I emptied my wheat store this afternoon looked perfect (no customer though - it just goes into the mill here) vents were osma pipes with slots at the bottom put in after the shed was filled (you suck the wheat out of the centre with the vacuum cleaner as you push them in - another great bit of advice from @Practical Farm Ideas many years ago. Our grain was dry though.

 

[eagleye]

all depends on humidity, higher temperture and humidity into cold grain will cause condensation but as brisel says as the air churns thru the fan u get a small temp rise which will lower the humidity anyway. the main thing is plenty of airflow

 

[Grass And Grain]

Thanks, will get a hygrometer and slowly bring the temp up with air that is always just above the grain temp.

 

[Grain Buyer]

Wheat in store is 5 degrees C and 15.8% moisture.

Is it ok to blow it now with ambient air (about 15-20 degrees), as i want to bring the moisture down to under 15 if possible.

Just worried if it might cause condensation in the heap? Or will it be ok?

why don't you just sell it with moisture claims? What part of the country are you in?