Patent ID: 6780646
Filing Date: 2004-08-24
Classification: G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for determining the expected functional life of a grain sample taken from stored grain, wherein the expected life is predicted from the rate of release of carbon dioxide from the grain sample at a known moisture content, said method comprising:measuring the moisture content of the grain sample; placing the aforementioned grain sample in a container so that a gaseous atmosphere exists in the container above the sample; providing a color change indicator responsive to pH changes, and positioning the indicator in the gaseous atmosphere in the container; sealing the grain sample and color change indicator in the container; assigning a color number to each color on the indicator; periodically viewing the indicator and at the same time recording the color of the indicator as the appropriate color number until the indicator has achieved a predetermined color change wherein the indicator changes color due to the release of carbon dioxide from the grain sample into the gaseous atmosphere; plotting the color numbers versus the corresponding times when the indicator is being viewed; noting the total time interval required for the indicator to achieve the predetermined color change; and predicting the expected functional life of the grain sample, based on the total time interval for the indicator to achieve the predetermined color change, and the measured moisture content; wherein the expected functional life is directly proportional to the total time interval, and inversely proportional to the grain moisture content.