Grain bin monitoring via microwave imaging

Storage of large amounts of grain post-harvest is common during drying, distribution and preservation of crops. During storage, where grain is usually held in a large metallic container or bin, changes in temperature, moisture, and insect infestation can cause grain to spoil-annual post-harvest crop losses are estimated up to 30% in some countries while Canadian losses of 2% exceed a billion dollars. Currently, locally-sensitive temperature and moisture sensors are a common way to monitor grain bins. Sensors are generally strung on heavy duty cables that can withstand the forces generated when unloading grain. This monitoring method provides a coarse sampling of the storage environment due to system cost and the fact that using many sensor cables would require significantly reinforcing the bin. Further, these cables are not suitable for monitoring stored crops that are dried by a combination of stirring and aeration.