Posted in the machinery section previously about this but Ive a family member taking on a farm and he’s trying to sort a few things out. One quandary is his main grain shed. Its only 6 years old so in great shape but the configuration is wrong. We have no idea why see pic below. The issue is you have to completely fill one side before turning the drier on. The apex of the shed runs inline with the central wall so moving the doors to the side wont work as it will create tipping issue for trailers. The fan cannot be moved either as its fed by underground hot water pipes so two side tunnels wont work. Any clever ideas out there? Shed dimensions is 24m long x 18m wide x 9m to apex. Grain walling is upto 4m.
Wrong way round shed
- Thread starter Beefsmith
- Start date
renewablejohn
Member
- Location
- lancs
What controls do you have between the fan and the laterals. ie can you turn each individual lateral on or off or is it a serpentine with the only control being all the laterals on the left side of the wall or all the laterals on right side of the wall or both.
Khan
Member
- Location
- Emerald Isle
We've a similar issue in a new drying floor we're planning. Having laterals lengthwise suits to maximise drying floor space and easier to lay eight long laterals than 20 transverse laterals. You can get shut-off butterfly valves that can be opened and closed from the tunnel with wire rope.
How do you direct your fan onto your tunnel? Looking for ideas as we are space constrained?
How do you direct your fan onto your tunnel? Looking for ideas as we are space constrained?
Butterfly valve - Ambros Schmelzer - Metallverarbeitung
Shuts off the underfloor air duct Can be opened manually by means of steel cable Can be retrofitted Steel cable for adjustment is not included in the scope of delivery Suitable steel cable: e.g. Würth 5255000520 2,5mm
www.a-schmelzer.com
Last edited:
- Location
- Northumberland
Was just posting some sort of manual baffle. The above sounds like a more professional version of the same.
Each underfloor lateral has a metal slides to open the flow of air or shut it off. Theres a total of 18 underfloor laterals (9 each side) snd you can run one or all of them, whatever you like.
We've a similar issue in a new drying floor we're planning. Having laterals lengthwise suits to maximise drying floor space and easier to lay eight long laterals than 20 transverse laterals. You can get shut-off butterfly valves that can be opened and closed from the tunnel with wire rope.
How do you direct your fan onto your tunnel? Looking for ideas as we are space constrained?
Butterfly valve - Ambros Schmelzer - Metallverarbeitung
Shuts off the underfloor air duct Can be opened manually by means of steel cable Can be retrofitted Steel cable for adjustment is not included in the scope of delivery Suitable steel cable: e.g. Würth 5255000520 2,5mmwww.a-schmelzer.com
Problem is with those you have to lift every tunnel cover up from the empty end doen to when the crop gets to, to fit them. It would end up being a daily task as the store fills. Also if you accidentally cover the tunnels with the valve in you are then stuffed if you need to dry the corn stored after the valve.
- Location
- North Norfolk
Do you have access to the non-fan end of the laterals. If so, perhaps something like this inflatable pipe plug (available in various sizes) with a length of semi-rigid air pipe might work (eg Speedfit 10mm). Push in to the required distance, inflate and turn the tap to isolate. Then put another in the next lateral and so on.
Open the tap, then pull out a bit as the next load goes in.
Do you have access to the non-fan end of the laterals. If so, perhaps something like this inflatable pipe plug (available in various sizes) with a length of semi-rigid air pipe might work (eg Speedfit 10mm). Push in to the required distance, inflate and turn the tap to isolate. Then put another in the next lateral and so on.
Open the tap, then pull out a bit as the next load goes in.
Yes theres access but they are heavy covers and at the front of the shed lots of traffic so they are not easy to remove.
- Location
- North Norfolk
If you have access to the fan duct at the back could you do it from that end?
Hmmm, 600t is a big chunk of grain to ‘average’.
Is / can the shed be filled by a conveyor, preferably a travelling belt conveyor?
Is there a primary grain dryer in the system?
Some farms fill their tray driers from a batch or continuous flow drier, having taken out the bulk of the moisture, leaving the on floor system to take out the last % and do the cooling and conditioning.
And lastly, is there any form of stirring mechanism, to mix uneven moistures as they dry?
Is / can the shed be filled by a conveyor, preferably a travelling belt conveyor?
Is there a primary grain dryer in the system?
Some farms fill their tray driers from a batch or continuous flow drier, having taken out the bulk of the moisture, leaving the on floor system to take out the last % and do the cooling and conditioning.
And lastly, is there any form of stirring mechanism, to mix uneven moistures as they dry?
Thats where the air blows in from and theres flaps for each lateral anyway. Have a look at the drawing as I think you have misunderstood.
Why would a conveyor help? Its a drive over drying floor. Tip and go. Take a look at the drawing again.
The grain drier is the underfloor laterals.
Mobile stirrer but again thats not the question. Its the shed layout that doesnt work very well as the laterals run front to back not side to side. Basically the shed needs a tunnel on each side not across the back but it cant be moved see the first post.
Jo28
Member
- Location
- East Yorks
Never seen laterals run length ways. Normally where the wall is in the centre would be where the drying tunnel is surely? Why would it be designed any other way?
I understand your situation perfectly, I’m just bouncing a bit of ‘lateral thinking’ around to look at it from a different perspective.
If it had a conveyor already fitted then it wouldn’t have to be loaded from one end, it could be layered. But I gather it doesn’t, so that’s the end of that.
And it’s not part of a bigger mechanised set up, so the option for part drying prior to storage is equally redundant.
And you have a mobile stirrer, but “that’s not the question”, and apparently not part of the solution.
Which leaves your only option, which is to go back in time and slap whoever commissioned the shed around the chops, because frankly, other than filling each side with grain and stirring it as much as you can, or wasting £50k+ on breaking out the old floor and re-laying it, you’re sh!t out of luck.
Jo28
Member
- Location
- East Yorks
The laterals should be horizontal. Then you can dry small tonnages. I don't understand why anyone would design a shed this way, it makes no sense, you need to have one side completely full in order to dry properly or the air will just come out the front.
We dont know I’m afraid. Only guess is that an internal tunnel would loose space.
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