GB2188405A

GB2188405A - Drying and cleaning grain

Info

Publication number: GB2188405A
Application number: GB08529554A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Angus Cumming
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-11-30
Filing date: 1985-11-30
Publication date: 1987-09-30
Also published as: GB8529554D0

Abstract

A portable recirculating grain drier comprises a plenum chamber (1), an upright auger (2) and casing (3) within the plenum chamber (1) for lifting grain from the bottom of the plenum chamber (1) to the top from where the lifted grain can fall through the plenum chamber (1) outside the casing (3). A burner communicates with the plenum chamber (1) via a fan for passing heated air into the plenum chamber and thus drying the falling grain. A portion of the casing (3) has a screen (5) and a second chamber (6) outside the casing (3) but within the plenum chamber (1), communicates with the interior of the casing (3) through the screen (5). An outlet duct (7) communicates with and tapers from the chamber (6) and an outlet pipe (8) leads from the narrower end of the duct (7) to the exterior of the plenum chamber (1). An injector pipe (9) enters the duct (7) laterally thereof and terminates in a nozzle (10) within the duct (7) directed substantially axially of the duct (7) and towards the outlet pipe (8). Part of the air flow from the fan is fed to the injector pipe (9) to cause a depression in the chamber (6). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Grain cleaning Description This invention relates to a portable recirculating grain drier modified in order to obtain a greater weight to volume ratio of dried grain from the drier.

According to the invention there is provided a portable recirculating grain drier comprising a plenum chamber, an upright auger and casing within the plenum chamber for lifting grain from the bottom of the plenum chamber to the top from where the lifted grain can fall through the plenum chamber outside the casing a burner in communication with the plenum chamber via a fan for passing heated air into the plenum chamber and thus drying the following grain, a screen within a portion of the auger casing, a second chamber outside the casing but within the plenum chamber and communicating with the interior of the casing through the screen, an outlet duct communicating with and tapering from the second chamber, an outlet pipe leading from the narrower end of the outlet duct to the exterior of the plenum chamber, an injector pipe entering the tapered duct laterally thereof and terminating in a nozzle within the duct directed substantially axially of the duct and towards the outlet pipe, and an arrangement for feeding part of the air flow from the fan to the injector pipe.

The modified drier may be used with a further separator comprising a main hopper having a side chamber partitioned from the remainder of the interior of the main hopper by a screen which partially defines an auxiliary hopper, an inlet pipe entering the auxiliary hopper at an upward inclination and connected with the outlet pipe. A discharge pipe extending downwardly from the lower end of the auxiliary hopper, and an outlet at the bottom of the main hopper.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic sectional view of a part of a modified drier according to the invention; Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1; Figure 3 is a side elevation of a further separator for use with the modified grain drier in Figs. 1 and 2; and Figure 4 is a front elevation of the separator shown in Fig. 3.

In Figs. 1 and 2 a portable recirculating grain drier comprises a plenum chamber 1, an upright auger 2 and casing 3 within the plenum chamber 1 for lifting grain from the bottom of the plenum chamber 1 to the top from where the lifted grain can fall through the plenum chamber 1 outside the casing 3. A burner is in communication with the plenum 9hamber 1 via a duct housing a fan 4 for passing heated air into the plenum chamber 1 and thus drying the falling grain. A screen 5 is provided within a portion of the casing 3. A second chamber 6 partially embraces the casing 3 and communicates with the interior of the casing 3 through the screen 5. An outlet duct 7 communicates with and tapers from the chamber 6 and an outlet pipe 8 leads in a downward direction from the narrower end of the duct 7 to the exterior of the plenum chamber 1.An injector pipe 9 enters the tapered duct 7 laterally thereof and terminates in a nozzle 10 within the duct 7 directed substantially axially of the duct 7 and towards the outlet pipe 8. An inlet 11 is disposed within the cool air flow from the fan and is connected to the pipe 9 by a flexible tube 12.

In the drier, grain is lifted by the auger 2 from the bottom of the plenum chamber 1 to the top through the casing 3. During this lifting, the grain passes the screen 5 and from the top of the casing 3 the grain falls through the plenum chamber 1. A small portion of the cool air delivered by the fan 4 is passed into the inlet 11, through the flexible tube 12 and the injector pipe 9, and out of the nozzle 10 into the duct 7. This results in a depression in the chamber 6, which draws from the grain being lifted by the auger 2 and through the screen 5, grains and chaff which are smaller than desired to obtain an acceptable weight to volume ratio. The undersize grain and chaff are then discharged through the outlet pipe 8.

The grain falling through the plenum chamber is dried by the major portion of the heated air delivered into the plenum chamber 1 by the fan 4.

The pipe 8 may either discharge to waste or into a further separator shown in Figs. 3 and 4. This separator comprises a main hopper 13 having a side chamber 14 partitioned from the remainder of the interior of the main hopper 13 by a screen 15 which, because it is curved into the shape of the curved surface of a part of an inverted cone, defines an auxiliary hopper. An inlet pipe 16 enters the auxiliary hopper at an upward inclination and is connected by flexible tubing (not shown) with the outlet pipe 8. A discharge pipe 17 extends downwardly from the lower end of the auxiliary hopper and terminates in a bagging frame 18. At the top of the main hopper 13 is a hinged lid 19 and a sloping perforated wall 20. At the bottom outlet 21 of the main hopper 13 is another bagging frame 22. The hopper 12 is supported on legs 23.

In operation, the undersize grains and chaff are delivered, via the pipe 16, into the auxiliary hopper where the grains merely fall to the bottom and are discharged into bags via the pipe 17 for use as animal feed. The chaff is blown through the screen 1 5 and falls to the bottom outlet 21 of the main hopper 13 where it is collected in bags.

Claims

1. A portable recirculating grain drier comprising a plenum chamber, an upright auger and- casing within the plenum chamber for lifting grain from the bottom of the plenum chamber to the top from where the lifted grain can fall through the plenum chamber outside the casing a burner in communication with the plenum chamber via a fan for passing heated air into the plenum chamber and thus drying the falling grain, a screen within a portion of the auger casing, a second chamber outside the casing but within the plenum chamber and communicating with the interior of the casing through the screen, an outlet duct communicating with and tapering from the second chamber, an outlet pipe leading from the narrower end of the outlet duct to the exterior of the plenum chamber, an injector pipe entering the tapered duct laterally thereof and terminating in a nozzle within the duct directed spb- stantially axially of the duct and towards the outlet pipe, and an arrangement for feeding part of the air flow from the fan to the injector pipe.

2. In combination, a drier according to claim 1 and a further separator comprising a main hopper having a side chamber partitioned from the remainder of the interior of the main hopper by a screen which partially defines an auxiliary hopper, an inlet pipe entering the auxiliary hopper at an upward inclination and connected with the outlet pipe, a discharge pipe extending downwardly from the lower end of the auxiliary hopper, and an outlet at the bottom of the main hopper.

3. A portable recirculating grain drier substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

4. In combination, a drier according to claim 3 and a further separator substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.