Extraction Fan Assist
- Used to enhance systems which have additional extraction fans to draw clean air into the building
- Wirelessly detects when any of the grain ventilation fans kick in
- Will then trigger the main extraction unit into life
FURTHER INFORMATION
If the store is fitted with additional extraction fans to draw clean air into the building, the system can be further enhanced with Extraction Fan Assist. This wirelessly detects when any of the grain ventilation fans kick in, to trigger the main extraction unit into life. When the fans shut down as ambient air temperatures rise, the big fans in the roof stop too, avoiding electricity being used unnecessarily. (All Grain Fan Assist control boxes are fitted with a wireless transceiver to enable them to communicate with the Extraction Fan Assist system should it be purchased at a later date).
A WORD FROM THE AHDB LONG TERM GRAIN STORAGE
Cooling Using Low Volume Ventilation
Temperatures above 15°C increase the risk of insect and mite populations developing. Relatively warm grain post-harvest is a good insulator, so heat is lost very slowly. Cooling permits grain to be stored at slightly higher moisture content and effectively increases the safe storage time.
Differential Controls
Differential controls have been shown to result in more efficient grain cooling, by switching the cooling fan on when the air temperature is lower than the grain temperature. Cooling systems have the potential to run whenever
‘air of a temperature to permit cooling’ is available and are automatically switched off once the grain reaches the ambient temperature. Reducing fan hours to reach the target temperature (in comparison with manual fan control) reduces energy costs.
“Temperatures fall more rapidly and to lower levels when using automatic compared to manual fan control”
If blowing with cooler air using a differential thermostat (4-6 ̊C difference), it is not possible to dampen grain.
For grain to become damp from blowing, you need a combination of:
-
Excessive aeration rates
- Condensation around ducts
- Rain driven into uncovered external fans
- Successive days of condensing fog
