Abstract:
Improved methods for treating grain with ozone are disclosed. The methods include introducing ozone into grain at more than one location in order to effectively treat the grain.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to US Provisional Patent Application 61/792,421 filed Mar. 15, 2013, the contents of the entirety of which is incorporated by this reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present relates generally to grain treatment, and more particularly to treating grain with ozone. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Ozone can be used to treat grain for various things such as insects, mold, bacteria, unwanted odors, and/or toxins. The ozone can be introduced into a grain bin or other grain storage container in order to treat the grain being stored. 
         [0004]    However, due to the size of the grain bin or other storage container, being able to evenly treat all of the grain in the bin or other storage container can be a challenge. Further, passing ozone through a pile of grain and reaching all of the grain can be difficult since the ozone many “channel” through various parts of the grain pile and heavily treat some areas of the grain pile, while not reaching other parts of the grain pile. Thus, needs exist for more efficient methods of treating grain with ozone. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In each of its various embodiments, the present invention solves these challenges and discloses improved methods of treating grain with ozone. 
         [0006]    In one embodiment, a method of treating grain with ozone includes introducing ozone in a headspace above the grain in a first location, drawing the ozone into the grain with at least two fans until the ozone is detected in air drawn through a first fan of the at least two fans, and once the ozone is detected in the air drawn through the first fan, a flow of air generated by the first tan is reduced. The method also includes continuing to draw the ozone into the grain with the remaining tins of the at least two fans. 
         [0007]    In another embodiment, a method of treating grain with ozone comprises introducing ozone in a headspace above the grain in a first location, drawing the ozone into the grain with at least two fans until the ozone is detected in air drawn through the grain with one fan of the at least two fans, and once the ozone is detected in the air drawn through the grain with the one fan, the ozone is introduced into the headspace at a second location. 
         [0008]    In yet a further embodiment, a method of treating grain with ozone comprises placing grain in a bin having an aeration floor, at least two fans associated with the aeration floor, and at least two vents. The ozone is introduced into a headspace above the grain in the bin through a first vent, the ozone is drawn through the grain with the at least two fans, and exhaust from the at least two fans is monitored for the ozone. Once the ozone is detected coming out of a first of the at least two fans, a flow of the first fan is reduced. 
         [0009]    In an additional embodiment, a method of treating grain with ozone includes introducing ozone in a headspace above the grain in a first location, drawing the ozone into the grain until the ozone is detected in an exhaust of air drawn through the grain, and once the ozone is detected in the exhaust of air drawn through the grain, the ozone is introduced into the headspace at a second location. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  illustrate an embodiment of a grain storage container used for one embodiment of a method of treating grain with ozone of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIGS. 2A and 2B  illustrate one embodiment of a grain storage container used far an embodiment of a method of treating grain with ozone of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    Work on treating grain with ozone has continued. The following patent applications are assigned to the assignee of the present invention and describe general methods and conditions for treating grain with ozone. US Patent Application Publication 2011/0151079, the contents of the entirety of which are incorporated by this reference in its entirety, describes a continuous treatment of grain with ozone. US Patent Application Publication 2011/0151080, the contents of the entirety of which are incorporated by this reference in its entirety, describes downdraft methods of treating grain with ozone, and IS Patent Application Publication 2011/0151073, the contents of the entirety of which are incorporated by this reference in its entirety, describes treating grain with ozone in grain piles. 
         [0013]    Grains which may be treated according to the methods of the present invention include, but are not limited to, any agricultural commodity that is typically stored in piles or in bins such as wheat, corn, soybeans, barley, oats, rye, rice, millet, sorghum, edible beans, sunflowers, canola, triticale, quinoa, or other grains. 
         [0014]    One embodiment of treating grain with ozone includes placing the grain in a container, such as a grain bin  100  shown in  FIG. 1A . This embodiment is directed towards a grain bin that holds about one million bushels, has about 131 foot diameter, and includes 6 fans. However, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that other sizes of grain bins may be treated with the methods of the present invention and is applicable to treat grains bins having two or more fans. The side view of the grain bin  100  shows a root  102  including exhaust vents  104  and J-vents  106 . Also shown is a floor  108 . In this embodiment, the floor  108  comprises a number of aeration panels  109  (shown in  FIG. 1B ) making the floor  108  a functioning aeration floor. Each of the aeration panels  109  is operatively connected to air conduit (not shown) which in turn are operatively connected to a number of fans  110 . Within the grain bin  100  is a pile of grain  112 . 
         [0015]    In this embodiment, the grain  112  is placed in the grain bin  100  as known by those of ordinary skill in the art. The grain  112  is placed on the floor  108  having the aeration panels  109  such that during the time the grain  112  is located within the grain bin  100 , air may be drawn in the grain bin  100  through the exhaust vents  104  and/or the J-vents  106  as indicated by arrows  114  into a headspace  116  of air above the grain  112  within the grain bin  100 . The air is drawn into the grain bin  100  by turning on the fans  110  which suck air from the grain  112  and the headspace  116 . In essence, the tins  110  create a negative pressure under the floor  108  of the grain  112  that draws the air from the headspace  116  into the grain  112 , and in turn the movement of the air from the headspace  116  into the grain draws in the air through the exhaust vents  104  and/or J-vents  106  into the headspace  116 . 
         [0016]      FIG. 1B  is a top view of the grain bin  100  of  FIG. 1A , without having any grain  112 . In this view, there are six aeration panels  109  located on the floor  108 . The arrows  115  show the direction of air being sucked out of the grain bin  100  through the aeration panels  109  and out of the grain bin  100  via the fans  110 . 
         [0017]    Treatment of the grain  112  in the grain bin  100  will be described in reference to  FIGS. 2A and 2B . An ozone generator  120  is operatively connected to one of the J-vents  106   a  by ozone conduit  124 . In this manner, ozone is pumped into the headspace  116  of the grain bin  100  through one of the J-vents  106   a . One or more of the exhaust vents  104  may be sealed or plugged such that during treatment of the grain  112  within the grain bin  100 , air from outside cannot enter the grain bin  100  through the exhaust vents  104  of if not all of the exhaust vents  104  are sealed or plugged, the amount of air entering the grain bin  100  from outside is reduced. In a further embodiment, one or more or all of the J-vents  106  that are not connected to the ozone conduit  124  may also be closed or sealed such that only air or ozone or a reduced amount of air can enter the grain bin  100  through the J-vent  106   a  connected to the ozone conduit  124 . 
         [0018]    The grain  112  is treated by generating and pumping ozone into the headspace  116  of the grain bin  100 . The fans  110  are turned on to draw or suck the ozone pumped into the headspace  116  into the grain  112 . As the fans  110  are running and the ozone is pumped through the J-vent  106   a , the ozone begins traveling through the grain  112  and exerting its treatment effect on the grain  112 . After a period of time, the air exiting the grain bin  100  through the fans  110  is monitored using an ozone detecting device or detected (such as by smelling the ozone) by a person. Once the ozone is detected as exiting the grain bin  100  through one of the fans  110  (i.e., through fan  110   a  or fan  110   b ) (such as a time of about 18-24 hours), the fan  110   a  or  110   b  (which may be located in closest proximity to the J-vent  106   a  operatively connected to the ozone generator  120 ) through which the ozone is first detected is turned off or has its air flow reduced, such that the air begins to exit the grain bin  100  more through the other fans  106 . 
         [0019]    Once fan  110   a  or  110   b  is turned off or has its air flow reduced, then a different fan  110  (i.e., fan  110   a  or  110   b ) is allowed to run until ozone is detected as exiting the grain bin  100  through that fan  110   a  or  110   b  (such as a time of about 18-24 hours). Once the second tan  110   a  or  110   b  is turned off, the remaining fans  100   c - f  are allowed to run for a period of time, such as a time of about 3-5 days. After such period of time, the ozone conduit  124  is removed from the J-vent  106   a  and attached to a different J-vent  106   b.    
         [0020]    After attaching the ozone conduit  124  to the J-vent  106   b , all of the fans  110  are turned on to draw or suck the ozone pumped into the headspace  116  into the grain  112 . As the fans  110  are running and the ozone is pumped through the J-vent  106   b , the ozone begins traveling through the grain  112  and exerting its treatment effect on the grain  112 . After a period of time, the air exiting the grain bin  100  through the fans  110  is monitored using an ozone detecting device or detected by a person. Once ozone is detected as exiting the grain bin  100  through one of the fans  110  (i.e., fan  110   f  or fan  110   e ) (such as a time of about 18-24 hours), the tan  110   f  or  110   e  (the fans which may be located in closest proximity to the J-vent  106   b  operatively connected to the ozone generator  120 ) through which the ozone is first detected is turned off or has its air flow reduced, such that the air begins to exit the grain bin  100  more through one or more of the other fans  110 . 
         [0021]    Once fan  110   f  or  110   e  is turned off, then the other fan  110   f  or  110   e  is allowed to run until ozone is detected as exiting the grain bin  100  through that fan  110   f  or  110   e  (such as a time of about 18-24 hours). Once the second fan  110   f  or  110   e  is turned off, the remaining fans  110   a - d  are allowed to run for a period of time, such as a time of about 3-5 days. After such period of time, the ozone conduit  124  is removed from the J-vent  106   b  and attached to a different J-vent  106   c.    
         [0022]    After attaching the ozone conduit  124  to the J-vent  106   c , all of the fans  110  are turned on to draw or suck the ozone pumped into the headspace  116  into the grain  112 . As the fans  110  are running and the ozone is pumped through the J-vent  106   c , the ozone begins traveling through the grain  112  and exerting its treatment effect on the grain  112 . After a period of time, the air exiting the grain bin  100  through the fans  110  is monitored using an ozone detecting device or detected by a person. Once ozone is detected as exiting the grain bin  100  through fan  110   d  or fan  110   c  (such as a time of about 18-24 hours), the fan  110   d  or  110   c  (associated with the aeration panels  109   a  or  109   b  located in closest proximity to the J-vent  106   c  operatively connected to the ozone generator  120 ) is turned off or has its air flow reduced, such that the air begins to exit the grain bin  100  more through the other fans  110 . 
         [0023]    Once fan  110   d  or  110   c  is turned off, then the other fan  110   d  or  110   c  is allowed to run until ozone is detected as exiting the grain bin  100  through that fan  110   d  or  110   c  (such as a time of about 18-24 hours). Once the second fan  110   d  or  110   c  is turned off or is reduced in flow, the remaining fans  110   a - b  and  110   e - f  are allowed to run for a period of time, such as a time of about 3-5 days. After such period of time, the ozone conduit  124  is removed from the J-vent  106   c  and attached to a different J-vent  106   d.    
         [0024]    After attaching the ozone conduit  124  to the J-vent  106   d , all of the fans  110  are turned on to draw or suck the ozone pumped into the headspace  116  into the grain  112 . As the fans  110  are running and the ozone is pumped through the J-vent  106   d , the ozone begins traveling through the grain  112  and exerting its treatment effect on the grain  112 . After a period of time, the air exiting the grain bin  100  through the fans  110  is monitored using an ozone detecting device or detected by a person. Once ozone is detected as exiting the grain bin  100  through fan  110   d  or fan  110   e  (such as a time of about 18-24 hours), the fans  110   d  or  110   e  (associated with the aeration panels  109   a  or  109   b  located in closest proximity to the J-vent  106   d  operatively connected to the ozone generator  120 ) is turned off or has its air flow reduced, such that the air begins to exit the grain bin  100  more through the other fans  110 . 
         [0025]    Once fan  110   d  or  110   c  is turned off then the other fan  110   d  or  110   c  is allowed to run until ozone is detected as exiting the grain bin  100  through that fan  110   d  or  110   c  (such as a time of about 18-24 hours). Once the second fan  110   d  or  110   e  is turned off, the remaining fans  110   a - b  and  110   e - f  are allowed to run for a period of time, such as a time of about 3-5 days. After such period of time, the ozone conduit  124  is removed from the J-vent  106   d  and attached to a center vent  115  of the grain bin  100 . 
         [0026]    After attaching the ozone conduit  124  to the center vent  115 , all of the fans  110  are turned on to draw or suck the ozone pumped into the headspace  116  into the grain  112 . As the fans  110  are running and the ozone is pumped through the center vent  115 , the ozone begins traveling through the grain  112  and exerting its treatment effect on the grain  112 . After a period of time, the air exiting the grain bin  100  through the fans  110  is monitored using an ozone detecting device or detected by a person. Once ozone is detected as exiting the grain bin  100  through one of the fans  110  (such as a time of about 18-24 hours), the fan  110  through which the ozone is first detected is turned off or has its air flow reduced, such that the air begins to exit the grain bin  100  more through the other fans  110 . 
         [0027]    Once one of the fans  110  are turned off, the rest of the fans  110  are allowed to run until ozone is detected as exiting the grain bin  100  through a second fan  110  (such as a time of about 18-24 hours). Once the second fan  110  is turned off, the remaining fans  110  are allowed to run for a period of time, such as a time of about 3-5 days. In an additional embodiment, in this last treatment segment where the ozone is introduced into the center vent  115 , if any of the fans  110  have not had ozone detected during the various treatments, such fans  110  are allowed to run and all of the fans  110  which have had ozone detected are shut off or reduced in flow, such that the fans  110  which have not had ozone detected are able to pull the ozone through grain  112  which may not have been treated. After such period of time, the ozone conduit  124  is removed from the center vent  115  and the ozone treatment of this grain bin  100  may be completed. A complete treatment of a grain bin  100  of this size takes place within a time frame of about 15-25 days, which may average about 20 days. After completion of the ozone treatment, the exhaust fans  104  are returned to their normal working condition and the grain  112  may be stored longer, mixed with other grain, or shipped to another location. 
         [0028]    In another embodiment, the grain  112  within the grain bin  100  may be turned over or partially turned over in order to treat the grain  112  in the grain bin  100  that has been turned over or partially turned over. Referring to  FIG. 2A , turning over of the grain  112  is effectuated by removing a portion  117  of the grain  112  located closest to the floor  108  and placing such removed grain on a portion  119  of the grain  112  located closed to the headspace  116 . By turning over the grain  112 , the ozone treatment may be able to more effectively treat portions of the grain that were not as effectively treated as other portions of the grain. It should be noted that in treatment of a one million bushel bins as described herein, the grain  112  may be turned over after treating the grain  112  through J-vent  106   b  and before treating the grain  112  through J-vent  106   c . Such turning over of the grain may be effectuated using a device for removing a lowermost portion of the grain in the grain storage container currently known or later invented such as a sweep auger, a tapered sweep auger, a bin sweep, a ring drive reclaimer, a center drive reclaimer, a conical hopper reclaimer, or other known device. The device for removing the lowermost portion of the grain in the grain storage container may be coupled with a grain spreader or other device for placing the grain in the grain storage container such as an auger, a motorized bin level, a gravity flow spreader, a cone spreader, or other known device for placing grain in a grain storage container. 
         [0029]    It has been found that by treating grain in the manner set forth herein, grain can be effectively treated to lower toxins (including but not limited to aflatoxin and/or vomatoxin) amounts, lower microbial counts in the grain, kill insects present in the grain, and/or remove or reduce odors to make the grain more suitable for use. 
         [0030]    The embodiments described herein may be used to treat grain located in a grain bin or grain located in a grain pile that has been placed outside and covered with a tarp. 
         [0031]    While this invention has been particularly shown and described with references to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention encompassed by the appended claims.