Patent ID: 8561315

Claim:
A system for drying a particulate agricultural product in a silo, said system comprising: a. a silo having an interior space, said silo comprising an air conduit adapted to provide drying air within to said interior space; b. an air blower adapted to provide forced drying air through said air conduit; c. at least one heat exchanger in heat transfer contact with said air conduit, said heat exchanger adapted to accept a heat transfer fluid; d. a heat transfer fluid storage tank adapted to accept and store a heat transfer fluid, and to supply said heat transfer fluid to said at least one heat exchanger and to receive said heat transfer fluid from said at least one heat exchanger; e. an evacuated tube solar panel adapted to heat a heat transfer fluid and to supply said heat transfer fluid to said heat transfer fluid storage tank and to receive said heat transfer fluid from said heat transfer fluid storage tank; f. a photovoltaic solar panel adapted to generate electricity and to supply electricity to said heat transfer fluid storage tank; g. a heating unit adapted to heat the heat transfer fluid in said heat fluid storage tank, said heating unit adapted to use electricity generated by said photovoltaic solar panel; h. a silo air sensor adapted to determine whether said drying air is at a pre-determined temperature; i. a controller unit adapted to receive a signal from said silo air sensor and to control the flow of said heat transfer fluid from said heat transfer fluid storage tank in response to said signal; and j. a valve controlling the flow of heat transfer fluid to said evacuated tube solar panel from said heat transfer fluid storage tank and an evacuated tube solar panel sensor adapted to determine whether said evacuated tube solar panel is at a temperature sufficient to maintain said heat transfer fluid at a pre-determined temperature and, in such condition, to signal said controller unit to initiate the flow of said heat transfer fluid from said heat transfer fluid storage tank to said evacuated tube solar panel.