GB2426911A

GB2426911A - Apparatus for and method of conditioning particulate substances

Info

Publication number: GB2426911A
Application number: GB0511657A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony Gent
Original assignee: EDWARD CHARLES GENT; EILEEN REBECCA GENT; JAMES ANTHONY GENT; MARGARET GENT
Current assignee: EDWARD CHARLES GENT; EILEEN REBECCA GENT; JAMES ANTHONY GENT; MARGARET GENT
Priority date: 2005-06-08
Filing date: 2005-06-08
Publication date: 2006-12-13
Also published as: GB0511657D0

Abstract

Apparatus for conditioning a particulate substance, particularly agricultural grain, comprises a conduit 16 for insertion into the particulate substance and means such as a fan 24 for generating a flow of conditioning gas such as air. The gas passes through both the conduit 16 and the particulate substance. The conduit 16 further comprises means such as spiral augur flights 38 for agitating the particulate substance. Also disclosed is a method of conditioning particulate substances using the apparatus as described above.

Description

TITLE: APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF CONDITIONING

PARTICULATE SUBSTANCES S.

DESCRIPTION * S.. * S S * .

S *

S * S. * S S *.S.

TECHNICAL FIELD *SSS * * 5..

The present invention relates to apparatus for conditioning particulate substances, particularly granular substances comprising grains, most particularly agricultural grains such as wheat, barley, oil seed rape, pulses and the like.

BACKGROUND ART

It is often desirable to condition agricultural grain, generally by reducing its moisture content but also sometimes by increasing or decreasing its temperature.

Grain storage facilities often have special floor structures that allow air - warmed or cooled as necessary - to be fed up through a pile of grain. Such facilities may also have stirring devices such as augers to agitate the grain and thereby improve the speed and uniformity of drying. However, such buildings are expensive to put up and have the further disadvantage that they cannot easily be used for other purposes.

Pedestal driers are known that sit in a pile of grain and suck air down through the grain and into holes in the base of the hollow pedestal. The air is then exhausted through a fan situated in the top of the pedestal. Such driers are cheaper than the special floor structures mentioned above and can easily be removed to allow a building to be used for other purposes. However, their performance in terms of rapidly and uniformly conditioning the grain is significantly worse. .:.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved means of conditioning particulate substances, s..

in particular volumes of agricultural grain of all kinds *, : including but not limited to wheat, barley, oats, rye, rice, corn, sorghum, millet. This includes beans, peas, soya beans, lentils, vetches and lupins (generically known as pulses and legumes), also rape seed, canola, cotton seed, sunflower and linseed (generically known as grasses and seeds), nuts, animal feeds and fertilizers. The invention may also be applicable to fodder, silage, composts, manures and other nutrients.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, there is provided apparatus for conditioning a particulate substance, the apparatus comprising a conduit for insertion into the particulate substance and means for generating a conditioning gas flow that passes through both the conduit and the particulate substance, the conduit further comprising means for agitating the particulate substance.

Such apparatus provides both a conditioning gas flow and agitation of the particulate substance, which together result in better quality and/or faster conditioning.

The present inventors have also discovered that, surprisingly, a conduit of width sufficient to allow air flow for conditioning can nevertheless be moved relatively * S S...

easily in the particulate material in directions * * S S perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the conduit as a result of the agitation of (and, to a lesser extent, the gas flow through) that substance. Accordingly, a further embodiment of the invention comprises means for moving the *.

apparatus in such directions. Such means may comprise a.. : motorised carriage running on tracks. Alternatively, the apparatus may have a driven wheel at a first - lower when in operation - end of the device. The wheel may be conveniently located within the conduit which itself may be provided with a seal to prevent or at least reduce the effect of the particulate substance on the traction of the wheel.

In another embodiment, the conduit is provided with paddles which selectively engage with the particulate substance. Conveniently, the paddles can be slidingly mounted in the conduit wall and moved relative thereto by a crank.

To facilitate conditioning gas flow, perforations may be formed in the conduit wall and may be concentrated at a first end of the conduit configured to be inserted most deeply into the particulate substance.

In one embodiment, the means for agitating the particulate substance includes means, such as an electric motor, for rotating the conduit about its longitudinal axis. The conduit may have a surface configured to propel the particulate substance on rotation of the conduit in such a fashion. In particular, the surface may be configured so as to propel the particulate material parallel to the longitudinal axis of the conduit, for example extending in a spiral along the length of the conduit.

The conduit may be supported for rotation about its *. I..

longitudinal axis by means of a support located within the.. : conduit. This support may be attached to a further support located at said second end of the conduit and which in turn may also support a fan for generating said generating gas flow and the means for rotating the conduit about its longitudinal axis.

Advantageously, the means for agitating the particulate substance may comprise a moveable surface which furthermore may rotate about a second axis not coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the conduit. The second axis may extend substantially parallel to the conduit, in which case the means for agitating the particulate substance may extend at least over the length of the conduit which, in operation of the apparatus, is configured to be immersed in the particulate substance.

Alternatively, the second axis may extend substantially perpendicular to the conduit, advantageously at least over the width of the conduit. In these embodiments, the means for agitating the particulate substance may comprise a spiral auger.

Where the apparatus comprises means for moving the apparatus through said particulate substance in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the S...

conduit, the means for agitating the particulate substance may be positioned in front of said conduit relative to said direction. Where the apparatus is moved back and forth, those means are advantageously positioned to the front and to the rear of the conduit relative to said.". S... I.

direction. .. : The conduit may be connected to the means for generating a conditioning gas flow - such as a fan - via a duct, the means for moving the apparatus being attached to said duct. The longitudinal axis of the duct may be substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said conduit and the duct itself may be telescopic. The means for moving the apparatus may include wheels configured to engage with a surface - such as the floor of a grain storage facility - on which said particulate substance is located.

Advantageously, a plurality - typically three - of the moveable apparatus according to the first embodiment of the invention are mounted together to form a free- standing arrangement which, by appropriate control of drive mechanisms in a manner known per se, can move through a pile of particulate material to ensure uniform conditioning of the material throughout the pile.

The present invention also consists in a method of conditioning agricultural grain comprising the steps of inserting a conduit into the agricultural grain, generating a conditioning gas flow that passes through both the conduit and simultaneously agitating the grain at S..

the surface of the conduit. The method may further comprise the step of moving the conduit in directions perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the conduit, whilst the step of agitating the grain may be achieved by rotation of the conduit. . * S...

Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are * :

set out in the description and dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described by way of example by reference to the following diagrams, of which: Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of apparatus embodying the present invention; Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of a third embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of an alternative configuration of the embodiment of figure 3; Figures 5A and B are respective cross-sectional views through lines A-A and B-B of figure 4; Figure 6 is a side view of a further embodiment of the invention; Figure 7 is a view in the direction of arrow A in figure 6; Figure 8 is a plan view of the further embodiment of figure 6.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Figure 1 shows apparatus 10 for conditioning a particulate substance, in this case agricultural grain such as wheat or barley, piled on a surface 12 up to a level indicated by line 14. A conduit in the form of a hollow cylinder 16 extends down into the pile of grain.

The cylinder is preferably of circular cross-section and., : made of metal or other material that, suitably dimensioned in terms of its wall thickness, will retain its shape when subject to forces from the grain. Over the lower third 18 of its length, cylinder 16 has perforations 20 formed in its wall 22 to allow the passage of air from inside the cylinder into the grain. Air is pumped into the top of the cylinder 16 by fan assembly 24.

The top of the cylinder 16 is also provided with a ring gear 26 which allows the cylinder 16 to be rotated by variable speed motor 28 acting via drive 30. Cylinder 16 is supported for rotation about a bearing/air seal assembly 32 carried by the fan assembly 24 at the top of the cylinder and a further bearing 34 towards the bottom of the cylinder. Bearing 34 is carried by a fixed central support 36 inside the cylinder and which itself is carried by the fan assembly 24.

The outside of the cylinder 16 is provided with means for agitating the particulate substance. In the example shown, this is a protrusion from the external surface of the conduit in the form of spiral auger flights, shown figuratively by zig-zag line 38. Rotation of the cylinder rotates the flights 38 which in turn agitates the grain S. s and in particular forces it upwards, parallel to the axis of the conduit, thus allowing further material into contact with the lower end of the cylinder and the air flow through the perforations. In this way, the pile of grain is mixed, allowing uniform conditioning throughout its depth.

Moreover, the present inventors have discovered that the combination of air flow through, and simultaneous agitation of, the grain results in the cylinder being surprisingly easy to move laterally through the pile (as indicated by arrows L in figure 1) in spite of its significant diameter.

This discovery enables the embodiment of figure 2 in which the apparatus 10 is mounted on a carriage 40 that can be propelled by means of wheels 44 driven by a variable speed motor 46 along a lateral track 42 in the form of a beam mounted above the grain pile, thereby moving the apparatus across the pile. Lateral track 42 may itself be moveably mounted on longitudinal tracks 48, again in the form of beams, thereby allowing the apparatus to be moved (by means of variable speed motor 52) into the pile. In this way, the entire grain pile can be conditioned. The longitudinal tracks 48 may be attached to the structure, e.g. crop retaining walls 50, of a building in which the grain is stored. Multiple lateral tracks 42 may be mounted on the longitudinal beam 48. Similarly, more than one apparatus can be mounted on each lateral beam 42. S...

Figure 3 illustrates another moveable embodiment of the invention in which motion of the apparatus 10 S..

S

perpendicular to its longitudinal axis is achieved by: .. 5*55

means of a wheel 60 mounted within the conduit at the S...

bottom of central support 36 and bearing against surface 12, typically a floor of the building where the grain is stored. Wheel 60 is rotated by gearbox 62 driven by shaft 64 powered by a servo motor 66 arranged at the top end of the apparatus 10 on the fan assembly 24. Wheel 60 and gearbox 62 are steered by a second shaft 68, co-axial with shaft 64, which is driven by a further servo motor 70 acting through further ring gear 72. To prevent or at least reduce grain from coming between the wheel 60 and surface 12 and affecting traction, a floor seal 74 may be arranged at the bottom of the apparatus. It is noted that the weight of the apparatus 10 will act on the wheel 60, as will the downwards reaction to the grain being forced upwards by the auger flights 38. These forces will act to increase traction.

Advantageously, three or more of such independently moveable apparatus are arranged together to form a free- standing structure as shown in figure 3, joined at their top ends by a common air duct and frame 74 fed by a single fan 76. Incorporation of suitable control and guidance mechanisms, known per se, can synchronise the movement of each apparatus to allow the structure to roam through all parts of a grain pile to ensure uniform conditioning.

Figure 4 shows an alternative embodiment of the.". S..

structure of figure 3 in which a force is exerted on the grain by paddles 80 mounted on a crank 82 within the S..

cylinder 16 and which slide in slots 86 in the cylinder: .".

wall 22. As will be evident from figures 5A and B, which S...

are respective sectional views along lines A-A and B-B in S...

S S S

figure 4, the position of the crank 82 (driven by motor 84) relative to the cylinder selects whether the paddles protrude from the cylinder and thereby generate a reaction force from the grain as the cylinder rotates. In such an arrangement, wheel 60 is mounted to the central tube/crank 82, fixed so that it is directionally rotated with the central tube and synchronized to the paddles for precise steering. Alternatively, the wheel can simply be mounted as a swivelling castor.

Other methods of moving the apparatus are possible.

In particular, grain driven to the surface 14 by the action of the spiral flights 38 can be diverted laterally by a suitably configured funnel arrangement sitting on the surface. The resulting reaction force pushes the apparatus in a particular direction.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of a further embodiment of the invention. As with the previous embodiments, it comprises a conduit 100 for insertion into grain piled on a surface 12 up to a level 14. A conditioning gas flow is generated by fan 110 and fed via duct 120 into conduit 100 whence it passes via holes (not shown) in walls of the conduit 100 into the grain. Attached to the exterior of either side of the conduit 100 are means for agitating the.". S..

grain in the form of spiral augers 130. This agitation, together with the conditioning gas flow, results in better quality and/or faster conditioning of the grain. : .. S...

As shown in figure 7, which is a view of the S...

auger/conduit assembly 190 in the direction of arrow A in figure 6, the augers 130 extend along the length of the conduit 100 and are supported at their top ends by a cross-beam 140 which itself is carried by a pillar 150 carried by the conduit 100. Cross-beam 140 also carries an advantageously variable speed - electric motor 160 to drive the augers 130 e.g. by means of belts and pulleys 170,180, chains, shafts or the like.

The auger/conduit assembly 190 is moved through the pile of grain (as shown by arrows B) e.g. by means of wheels 200 driven e.g. by variable speed electric motor 210 or wires and pulleys fixed to a solid post or the building and again driven by a variable speed electric motor. Such movement is facilitated by augers 130 that extend over the depth of the conduit as shown at C in figures 6 and 7: as discussed above, the present inventors have discovered that localized agitation allows a conduit of width sufficient to allow air flow for conditioning to be moved relatively easily in directions perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the conduit.

Furthermore, movement back and forth is facilitated by mounting augers 130 at both the front and the back of the conduit 100 as seen in the direction of motion.

Augers 130 can also be positioned in front of and *.

behind the pillar 150, as shown at 220 and 230 in figure 8, so as to allow this to move through the grain too. It

S

will be appreciated that such an arrangement is also: ..

applicable to a conduit arranged vertically as in figures S...

1 to 3.

* S. S * a S It will be appreciated that duct 120 is preferably of sufficient length (as indicated by wavy lines) that, even when the auger/conduit assembly 190 is immersed in the grain pile to the greatest extent possible, wheels 200 and fan 110 remain outside of the pile. However, a duct that is too long will cause installation difficulties.

Accordingly, the duct may be equipped with an adjustable telescopic section 240. This may allow an alternative mechanism for moving auger/conduit assembly 190 in which the fan end of the duct 120 is fixed and the telescopic section 240 is moved by wires and pulleys, a rack and pinion, a screw bar, a ratchet system or the like, all of which may be driven by a variable speed electric motor.

The present invention has been described with ambient air as the conditioning gas. However, the inclusion of a heater and/or dehumidifier to warm and/or reduce the moisture content of the air before it enters the grain can increase the amount of moisture removed. Similarly, gases other than air, e.g. nitrogen, may be appropriate in certain circumstances.

The invention has also been described with the moveable surfaces arranged such that grain is driven vertically. However, the axes of such auger surfaces may.. * S..

be arranged off-vertical so as to give the grain a degree of transverse motion. * *. * .

* S S. I... * *

* S. S S... * * S

S

Claims

1. Apparatus for conditioning a particulate substance, the apparatus comprising a conduit for insertion into the particulate substance and means for generating a conditioning gas flow that passes through both the conduit and the particulate substance, the conduit further comprising means for agitating the particulate substance.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 and comprising means for moving the apparatus through said particulate **** * *..

substance in directions perpendicular to the longitudinal.

axis of the conduit. I.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said means: .. S. 55

for moving the apparatus comprises a motorised carriage running on tracks. IS..

4. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said conduit has a driven wheel at a first end.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said wheel is located within said conduit.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said conduit has a seal at said first end to reduce the effect of the particulate substance on the traction of the wheel.

7. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the conduit is provided with paddles which selectively engage with the particulate substance.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the paddles are slidingly mounted in the conduit wall and moved relative thereto by a crank.

9. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein perforations are formed in the conduit wall.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said perforations are concentrated at a first end of the conduit configured to be inserted most deeply into the particulate substance.

11. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said means for agitating the particulate substance comprises a moveable surface.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the conduit.". 0s**

comprises the moveable surface, the apparatus further comprising means for rotating the conduit about its longitudinal axis. : :".

13. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said moveable surface is configured to propel the particulate substance on rotation of the conduit about its longitudinal axis.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said moveable surface is configured so as to propel the particulate material parallel to the longitudinal axis of the conduit.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said moveable surface extends in a spiral along the length of the conduit.

16. Apparatus according to any one of claims 12 to 15, wherein said conduit is supported for rotation about its longitudinal axis by means of a support located within the conduit.

17. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said support is attached to a further support located at said second end of the conduit.

18. Apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said further support also supports a fan for generating said generating gas flow and means for rotating the conduit about its longitudinal axis.

19. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the means for agitating the particulate substance comprises a moveable surface rotatable about a second axis *".

not coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the conduit.

20. Apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said second axis extends substantially parallel to the conduit. : :s

21. Apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said means for agitating the particulate substance extends at least over the length of the conduit which, in operation of the apparatus, is configured to be immersed in the particulate substance.

22. Apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said second axis extends substantially perpendicular to the conduit.

23. Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said means for agitating the particulate substance extends at least over the width of the conduit.

24. Apparatus according to any one of claims 19 to 23, wherein said means for agitating the particulate substance comprises a spiral auger.

25. Apparatus according to any one of claims 19 to 24 and comprising means for moving the apparatus through said particulate substance in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the conduit, wherein said means for agitating the particulate substance is positioned in front of said conduit relative to said direction.

26. Apparatus according to claim 25 and comprising means for moving the apparatus back and forth through said particulate substance in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the conduit, wherein said means for agitating the particulate substance are positioned to the front and to the rear of said conduit relative to said *. * ***

direction. * 4 *

27. Apparatus according to claim 25 or claim 26, wherein S..

said conduit is connected to said means for generating a conditioning gas flow via a duct, said means for moving S...

the apparatus being attached to said duct. :;:;

28. Apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the longitudinal axis of said duct is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said conduit.

29. Apparatus according to claim 27 or claim 28, wherein said duct is telescopic.

30. Apparatus according to any one of claims 25 to 29, wherein said means for moving the apparatus include wheels configured to engage with a surface on which said particulate substance is located.

31. Apparatus according to any one of claims 11 to 30, wherein said moveable surface rotates about an axis inclined to the vertical when the apparatus is in operation, thereby propelling the apparatus transversely through the particulate substance.

32. A free-standing arrangement comprising a plurality of apparatus according to any of claims 2 to 18 joined together.

33. Free-standing arrangement according to claim 32 and comprising means for synchronising the operation of the respective means for moving each of said plurality of apparatus.

34. Method of conditioning agricultural grain comprising the steps of inserting a conduit into the agricultural..". * S..

grain, generating a conditioning gas flow that passes through both the conduit and simultaneously agitating the S..

grain at the surface of the conduit. : *. S...

35. Method according to claim 34 and further comprising the step of moving the conduit in directions perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the conduit.

36. Method according to claim 34 or 35, wherein the step agitating the grain comprises the step of moving a surface through said grain.

37. Method according to claim 36, wherein the step of moving a surface through said grain further comprises the step of rotating the conduit.