Modelling grain active ventilation process in the silos

Abstract

Changes in grain raw material properties in a complex thermophysical process are presented in the article, and a multifactorial mathematical model for developing engineering solutions for active ventilation is obtained. A numerical study of non-stationary changes in temperature and moisture content in a one-dimensional grain layer along with the height of a metal silo depending on environmental conditions is carried out. The simulation of the temperature and moisture fields in siloses is important for assessing the state and determining the parameters of the active ventilation system. The results show a significant air velocity effect on cooling and the speed of the drying process. The overall duration of drying and cooling of the grain top layer depends slightly on the initial parameters of the air such as the temperature and the moisture content. The obtained model is reliable to predict the drying kinetics for different storage conditions and different grain types. With the help of the presented model, it is possible to substantiate the safe grain storage modes in conditions of heterogeneity and temporal variations of standard parameters (temperature, air humidity).