Drying wheat question

[Highashgrange]

Borrowed a shed off a neighbour that has underfloor drying but the tunnels run front to back of the shed not across ways so basically you need to load the entire floor to get it to dry otherwise any uncovered tunnels just let the air escape as it’s the easiest route. He uses it as a batch drier so never loads it any higher than 2m. He’s finished for the year so we’ve borrowed it and have put 1000t in there at 4m deep. There’s 500t at 17% and 500t at 15%. If I turn the drier on I’ll dry the 18% but also dry the 15%. I’ve got a mobile stirrer I can use but it won’t mix the wheat at the back to front and will only mix where the moistures split. So the question is will I dry the 18% and make it uniform if I just use cool air rather than heat?
This wouldn’t normally happen but it’s a needs must scenario.

 

[farenheit]

Are there no shut off panels in the tunnels?

 

[Andy12345]

You need to blow cool air when the relative humidity is at a level that wont dry the 15% grain but will dry the 18% grain ..... theres info online somewhere , google is your friend

 

[Highashgrange]

Are there no shut off panels in the tunnels?

Yes but the underfloor tunnels run front to back not across.

 

[scotston]

you need to measure the air humidity. Blow air at 65% and the entire heap will move to 14.5%. The dry stuff will get wetter, the wet stuff drier. google 'equilibrium moisture content'.

 

[yellow belly]

If the grain is even depth the dry block will let air through faster so slowing down the drying of the wetter stuff
If possible increase the depth of the dry reduce the wet to speed the air flow through the wet area

 

[farenheit]

Yes but the underfloor tunnels run front to back not across.

I suppose you could bodge it by opening the front to back vents and sticking plyboard in??

 

[goodevans]

I suppose you could bodge it by opening the front to back vents and sticking plyboard in??

You would need a midget or a 5 year old to do that if the shed is already filled,nice situation to be in though with a 1000 tons you have extra

 

[Laggard]

You need to blow cool air when the relative humidity is at a level that wont dry the 15% grain but will dry the 18% grain ..... theres info online somewhere , google is your friend

Anybody got a link please?

 

[Woldgrain Storage]

Anybody got a link please?

https://www.uaex.edu/publications/pdf/FSA-1074.pdf

The last page has a table for wheat, it's difficult to find one through google that isn't all fahrenheit & bushels.

There should be something on the AHDB site.

 

[Hampton]

Borrowed a shed off a neighbour that has underfloor drying but the tunnels run front to back of the shed not across ways so basically you need to load the entire floor to get it to dry otherwise any uncovered tunnels just let the air escape as it’s the easiest route. He uses it as a batch drier so never loads it any higher than 2m. He’s finished for the year so we’ve borrowed it and have put 1000t in there at 4m deep. There’s 500t at 17% and 500t at 15%. If I turn the drier on I’ll dry the 18% but also dry the 15%. I’ve got a mobile stirrer I can use but it won’t mix the wheat at the back to front and will only mix where the moistures split. So the question is will I dry the 18% and make it uniform if I just use cool air rather than heat?
This wouldn’t normally happen but it’s a needs must scenario.

Why has the 17% wheat lifted to 18% when you have tipped it in the shed?

anyway, I wouldn’t worry about it, 17% isn’t that wet and 15% isn’t that dry. I’d just put the blowers and stirrers on at the same time and test it at often to see how much it’s dropped. Like someone said earlier, if you use cool air, it will drop the 17% faster than the 15%

 

[Hampton]

You would need a midget or a 5 year old to do that if the shed is already filled,nice situation to be in though with a 1000 tons you have extra

You would have too if you hadn’t filled your sheds with cattle worth £2k each!

 

[Laggard]

https://www.uaex.edu/publications/pdf/FSA-1074.pdf

The last page has a table for wheat, it's difficult to find one through google that isn't all fahrenheit & bushels.

There should be something on the AHDB site.

Thank you

 

[Highashgrange]

Why has the 17% wheat lifted to 18% when you have tipped it in the shed?

anyway, I wouldn’t worry about it, 17% isn’t that wet and 15% isn’t that dry. I’d just put the blowers and stirrers on at the same time and test it at often to see how much it’s dropped. Like someone said earlier, if you use cool air, it will drop the 17% faster than the 15%

Just a typo.

So got the fan on using ambient air at nights or when it’s the right temp and we’re stirring it every other day.

 

[Sonoftheheir]

Isn’t it too humid at night?

 

[goodevans]

Isn’t it too humid at night?

It doesn't matter how humid it is it will help as long as air temp is 5 degrees lower than grain

 

[Exfarmer]

The air will always escape through the dryest parts. You need to mixing seriously

 

[Woldgrain Storage]

We would only avoid using fans during consecutive days of fog at ground level.

 

[Lincsman]

Just blow at 65% RH or less... it will sort itself out, you could try a lorry sheet over the dry stuff to stop the air, but doubt you would hold it down.