Total electric commerical grain drying

This paper presents three phases of development and demonstration of total electric grain drying. Each of the phases were accomplished at commercial levels of throughput varying from 250 to 1400 bushels per hour of drying. Initial moisture levels varied from 17 to 38% and the various grains were dried down to their respective safe long term storage moistures. Phase one included the electric retrofitting of an automatic batch dryer for a commercial elevator. Test batches of grain were weighed in and out to calculate the pounds of moisture removed per kWhr of electrical energy consumed. In phase two a 1200 bushel per hour continuous flow grain dryer was designed and installed at a commercial grain elevator and operation evaluated. In phase three the type of dryer used in phase two was adapted for drying fragile crops such as edible beans, and, tests were conducted to determine economics and if drying can be done without damage to product.