Dry Your Grain for Under 1 ₵ per Bushel per Percentage Point.
- Jason Griffith
- Nov 1, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Feb 6
Wavcor conducted an in-depth study on various grain drying methods and concluded that utilizing an Airblast Natural Gas fan is the most cost-effective approach for drying grain inside a grain bin. The process of drying grain requires a fan capable of pushing air through the bin, and with sufficient time, the grain will achieve the desired moisture content.
However, operating the fan necessitates energy, which brings into consideration several factors that affect the overall cost of drying grain:
Type of Energy: The energy source used by the fan plays a significant role in cost efficiency.
Energy Consumption: The amount of energy consumed by the fan directly impacts the drying costs.
Duration of Operation: The length of time the fan needs to run to effectively dry the grain is crucial.
In Wavcor's analysis, the cost of drying one bushel of grain by one percent varied dramatically, from under one cent when using the Airblast Natural Gas fan to over 80 cents when employing a 20 hp electric fan powered by a diesel generator. This stark contrast underscores the importance of selecting the right drying method.
For instance, when drying 10,000 bushels of wheat from 18% moisture to 14%, the cost difference can amount to nearly $10,000. Such a significant discrepancy highlights the potential savings that can be achieved by choosing the most efficient drying method.
In conclusion, for grain producers looking to optimize their drying processes, the choice of fan and energy source can lead to substantial financial benefits. Contact Wavcor and we will work with you to provide the most efficient and cost effective method to dry your grain.
Assumptions made for this analysis
The grain to dry was 12,000 bushels of wheat in a 22 foot diameter bin that was deep enough to generate roughly 8 inches of static pressure.
Using an estimated static pressure of 8 inches, data the air flow in cfm was determined from fan charts for a 20 hp, 10 hp and 7.5 hp fan.
The wheat was being dried from 18% to 14%.
Whenever a heater was included in the calculation it was assumed it was a 130,000 BTU/hr heater that created a plenum air temperature thta was 10°C higher than the ambient temperature.
It was assumed the ambient temperature was 22°C and the relative humidity was 64%.
The drying time was calculated using the following formula:
DT is the drying time in days
Wlb is the weight of water to be removed in pounds
SVa is the air specific volume and is found using a psychrometric chart
Tin is the temperature of the air entering the grain
Tout is the temperature of the air exiting the grain and is found using a psychrometric chart
AF is the airflow
The cost used for different fuels were:
It was assumed that all electric fan motors had an efficiency of 80%
