GB1577616A - Silos - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN SILOS (71) We, GRAHAM ADDISON EVANS, of Hinton Park Farm, Hinton St. George, Somerset, and MICHAEL JOHN PEARCE, of Clover Leys, Trent, Sherborne, Dorset, both British Subjects, trading as EVANS & BR< PEARCE, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to silos for crops, feedstuffs and the like, in which the material in the silo is to be dried by the passage therethrough of air. This is a development of the invention disclosed in our co-pending Patent Application No. 16331/76. (Serial No. 1 531 422).

In the said co-pending Application, there is disclosed a silo having an inlet for air into the space at the top part of the silo, and an outlet for air at the bottom of a mass of material in the silo, means for withdrawing air from within the silo through said outlet, whereby air is drawn through the mass of material from the space above, heating means being provided at an uppermost portion of the silo and adapted to supply heat directly to an uppermost portion of the mass of material so that air entering the material from the space above is warmed by the heated top layer of the material through which it passes.

In that Specification, only a closed-top silo was specifically disclosed, although the invention applies to open-top silos also.

However, the present Specification is concerned specifically with the application of the invention to open-top silos.

One embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification, wherein: Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a silo, partially cut away to reveal the interior, Fig. 2 shows a side view of the top part of the silo, and Fig. 3 shows a plan view of the top of the silo.

Referring to the drawings, an open-top silo has a cylindrical wall 10 and is opentopped. At the bottom of the silo are a pair of inverted channel-shaped members 12 having perforated side walls, and defining plenum chambers for extraction of air from the bottom of the silo. The two plenum chambers are connected through a common conduit 14 to an external electrically driven fan 16 for extracting air from the plenum chambers. An auger tube 18 is provided in the side wall of the silo for removing the stored grain.

The top surface of the grain 24 (see Figs.

2 and 3) is heated by infra-red radiation from a pair of heaters 20, for example three-kilowatt each, which are carried on standards 22 mounted to the side walls 10 on opposite sides of the silo. The heaters have reflectors to project radiation downwards towards the surface of the material in an approximately rectangular section expanding cone. Because of the downward inclination of the direction of radiation of the heaters, for example 60C from the horizontal, each heater irradiates an approximately trapezoidal area on the surface of the material. These overlapping areas combine to give an irradiated area 28, as shown hatched in Fig. 3. Also, as shown in Fig. 3, the heaters are arranged at a position such that the irradiated area just extends over the surface of the grain, with a minimum of overspill at the sides.

Different numbers of heaters could be used. Also, the precise arrangement of the heaters for different sized silos would be different. For economy, it may be desirable to have the heaters dismountable from the silo for use with other silos. It is advantageous in such a case to make the attachment points characteristic for specific types or size of heater so that the correct heater is always fitted to a given size of silo. To this end, special mounting brackets 26 can be provided at the bottom of the standards 22, arranged to fit corresponding attachment points on the appropriate size of silo. The height of the heaters is preferably adjustable so that it can be varied according to the height of the grain.A gauge plate or the like can be employed as part of the mounting to rest on the surface of the material so that the heaters are at the correct height and position with respect to the silo wall and alignment facing across the silo.

In operation, the fan draws air evenly down through the grain from top to bottom.

The infra-red heaters heat the top layer of the grain, to a depth of about 6 inches, thus creating a large heating element through which air is drawn evenly and slowly. This warm dry air then permeates through all the grain in the silo. It finally emerges from the fan outlet, where it can easily be ducted to a remote position to prevent condensation, and where its temperature and humidity can be measured accurately. By this means. controlled drying of the grain can be effected.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. An open-topped silo having an outlet for air from the bottom of a mass of material in the silo, means for withdrawing air from within the silo through said outlet, whereby the air is drawn through the mass of material from above, heating means being provided at an uppermost portion of the silo and adapted to supply heat directly to an uppermost portion of the mass of material so that air entering the material from above is warmed by the heated top layer of the material through which it passes.

2. A silo according to claim 1 wherein the air withdrawing means is a fan arranged to withdraw air from the bottom of the silo.

3. A silo according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the heating means is arranged to direct radiant heat onto the top surface of the mass of material within the silo.

4. A silo according to claim 3 wherein the heating means is at least one electrical radiant heater.

5. A silo according to claim 3 or claim 4 wherein the heating means comprises a heater mounted on a standard at the side of the silo and projects radiant heat onto the top surface of the mass of material in a downwardly inclined expanding cone.

6. A silo according to claim 5 wherein the heating means comprises at least two heaters mounted on respective standards spaced around the side of the silo.

7. A silo according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the heating means is dismountable.

8. A silo according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the height of the heating means above the top surface of the mass of material in the silo is adjustable.

9. A silo according to claim 8 including a gauge plate as part of mounting means for the heating means, the gauge plate being arranged to rest on the top surface of the mass of material when the height of the heating means is correctly adjusted.

10. A silo as described herein with reference to the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (10)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. heater so that the correct heater is always fitted to a given size of silo. To this end, special mounting brackets 26 can be provided at the bottom of the standards 22, arranged to fit corresponding attachment points on the appropriate size of silo. The height of the heaters is preferably adjustable so that it can be varied according to the height of the grain. A gauge plate or the like can be employed as part of the mounting to rest on the surface of the material so that the heaters are at the correct height and position with respect to the silo wall and alignment facing across the silo. In operation, the fan draws air evenly down through the grain from top to bottom. The infra-red heaters heat the top layer of the grain, to a depth of about 6 inches, thus creating a large heating element through which air is drawn evenly and slowly. This warm dry air then permeates through all the grain in the silo. It finally emerges from the fan outlet, where it can easily be ducted to a remote position to prevent condensation, and where its temperature and humidity can be measured accurately. By this means. controlled drying of the grain can be effected. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. An open-topped silo having an outlet for air from the bottom of a mass of material in the silo, means for withdrawing air from within the silo through said outlet, whereby the air is drawn through the mass of material from above, heating means being provided at an uppermost portion of the silo and adapted to supply heat directly to an uppermost portion of the mass of material so that air entering the material from above is warmed by the heated top layer of the material through which it passes.

2. A silo according to claim 1 wherein the air withdrawing means is a fan arranged to withdraw air from the bottom of the silo.

3. A silo according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the heating means is arranged to direct radiant heat onto the top surface of the mass of material within the silo.

4. A silo according to claim 3 wherein the heating means is at least one electrical radiant heater.

5. A silo according to claim 3 or claim 4 wherein the heating means comprises a heater mounted on a standard at the side of the silo and projects radiant heat onto the top surface of the mass of material in a downwardly inclined expanding cone.

6. A silo according to claim 5 wherein the heating means comprises at least two heaters mounted on respective standards spaced around the side of the silo.

7. A silo according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the heating means is dismountable.

8. A silo according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the height of the heating means above the top surface of the mass of material in the silo is adjustable.

9. A silo according to claim 8 including a gauge plate as part of mounting means for the heating means, the gauge plate being arranged to rest on the top surface of the mass of material when the height of the heating means is correctly adjusted.

10. A silo as described herein with reference to the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification.