Patent FR-2930630-A1 (FR)
Title: Cell for drying grains such as wheat, corn, sunflower or canola seed, comprises a closed volume bounded by a peripheral wall, an upper wall forming a roof and a floor
Inventor: HERVE PHILIPPE
IPC: A23B9/08
Filed: 2008-04-25
Abstract: The grain drying cell comprises a closed volume (2) bounded by a peripheral wall (3), an upper wall (4) forming a roof and a floor (5). The closed volume is divided into two chambers by a base wall (6) arranged above the floor, a closed upper chamber for drying/storing a volume of grain C and a closed lower chamber (7). The base wall has a conical or tapered shape of which the slope is ascending from the center towards the periphery, and comprises many calibrated holes to prevent passage of the grains while allowing the passage of a hot air stream for drying. The grain drying cell comprises a closed volume (2) bounded by a peripheral wall (3), an upper wall (4) forming a roof and a floor (5). The closed volume is divided into two chambers by a base wall (6) arranged above the floor, a closed upper chamber for drying/storing a volume of grain C and a closed lower chamber (7). The base wall has a conical or tapered shape of which the slope is ascending from the center towards the periphery, and comprises many calibrated holes to prevent passage of the grains while allowing the passage of a hot air stream for drying. The closed lower chamber is associated with a unit to generate a hot air stream to traverse the holes of the base wall towards the closed upper chamber. The closed upper chamber is equipped with a motorized vertical screw for movement of which the rotation is able to generate an ascending stream of grains in stored volume C. A unit is arranged in closed upper chamber to ensure the radial flow of grains located on the surface (Cs) of the stored volume C from the vertical axis of the closed upper chamber towards the periphery. The unit for radial flow comprises upper motorized leveling screws of which the longitudinal axis extends radially with respect to the vertical axis of the closed upper chamber, and secondly parallel or substantially parallel with respect to the bottom wall. The leveling screws are associated with a support unit for its rotation around a vertical axis of the closed upper chamber, and around its own longitudinal axis to ensure the radial flow of the cereals from the vertical axis of the closed upper chamber towards the periphery. The support unit adjusts the height of the leveling screws with respect to the perforated base wall to ensure its retention at the upper surface Cs of the stored grain volume C while drying and taking account of the reduction of grain volume during drying. The leveling screws extend to a distance and parallel with each other. The vertical screws for movement extend along a vertical plane passing through the space separating the leveling screws. The support unit of the leveling screw consists of a holder connected to a rotating upper frame through a deployable body. A unit is arranged to control the height of the leveling screws of electronic unit/computer combining the value of the humidity rate of the grains to be dried and data from sensor surface. The upper chamber is equipped with three vertical screws for movement, which are distributed and aligned or substantially aligned on a common radial axis. The screw for movement located in the central part is intended to generate an ascending flow greater than those of other two vertical screws. The perforated base wall and the longitudinal axis or the leveling screws extend at an angle of 25-35[deg] horizontally ascending from the vertical axis of the closed upper chamber towards the periphery. The support unit of the screws for vertical movement and support unit of the leveling screws form a common structure rotated around the vertical axis of the upper chamber. The vertical screws for movement are carried to the upper end by support unit. The free end of the vertical screw coming near the upper surface of the perforated bottom wall.