Grain storage technology: how to store grain while maintaining its benefits

In everyday life, rye, oats, wheat, corn are often used... It is used for cooking, because homemade bread is much tastier, and there are much more benefits from it, in addition, you can select and combine all the necessary ingredients and be completely confident in the quality of the prepared products.

And some use it for medicinal purposes or feed it to their pets. But purchased raw materials, no matter how much they were purchased, need to be stored.

Methods for storing grain

Storage of grain and seeds can be carried out in three types of granaries: a hangar for floor storage of grain, as well as silos made of concrete or metal alloy. They differ in functionality and have their own advantages and disadvantages.

Ground warehouse

provides such advantages as a constant storage mode, a low degree of mechanical damage to seeds, and the ability to store different batches of raw materials separately. The disadvantages of floor grain storage are the lack of mechanization. With this method, raw materials are not stored compactly and occupy large areas. It is impossible to provide adequate ventilation in a grain mound. However, this method is well suited for long-term storage, especially of corn, seeds, and oilseeds.

Concrete silo

– reliable design for temporary and long-term grain storage. It has a high level of thermal insulation, so the quality of the contents will not depend on weather conditions. Such storages are not afraid of frequent reboots. However, maintaining such concrete wells is quite difficult. The proportion of crushed particles also increases due to friction against the walls and bottom.

Metal silo

– the most modern bunker, has many types and sizes.

This storage allows you to:

equip the bunker with various mechanisms;
carry out aeration;
storage quality control.

It is easy to select such a bunker for your own production volumes. The disadvantage of a metal silo is its low level of thermal insulation; it does not protect the contents from low and high temperatures. Such devices are more convenient as drives or temporary storage.

Storage problems

Problems that arise during wheat storage lead to a decrease in the weight of shipped grain. First of all, this is due to various pests and inevitable losses.

Pests and their control

Grain is damaged by:

mill fire;
weevil;
mole;
mite.

In winter, insects do not reproduce unless there is self-heating of the grain. During the warm season, the population increases 500 times in 45 days.

General pest control measures:

chemical treatment before harvesting on the field;
processing of raw materials in the granary;
complete cleaning and disinfection of the elevator;
exact compliance with humidity and temperature indicators.

Disinfection of the crop before sending it to the warehouse is carried out using an aerosol or gas method. Insecticides are used for this.

Losses

Basically, grain loses weight due to decreased humidity. The total weight is also affected by the removal of weeds.

Losses include a decrease in the total weight due to a decrease in the quality of wheat. During storage, it is exposed to unfavorable factors: temperature fluctuations, self-heating, pest attacks, and diseases. After long-term storage, part of the grain (normally up to 5%) is rejected.

Grain storage technologies depending on humidity

For those who produce feed in granules, it is important to determine the degree of moisture content of the raw materials. According to their condition, raw materials can be divided into dry, wet and raw

. Depending on this, a certain grain storage technology is selected.

Moisture level in dry grain

below standard for culture. The dry mass can be stored in bulk, in a bunker, or canned. To maintain its freshness, methods such as aeration, ventilation, sterilization, cooling, and pickling are used. In such conditions, any type of crop for its intended purpose can be stored - food, industrial, seeds, or feed grain for the production of compound feed.

Wet grain

- this is a mass in which the percentage of moisture is 2-3% higher than the standard. It is loaded into a silo or sealed, cooled and preserved. This method is used to store crops for any purpose, except seeds.

Raw grain

has humidity more than 3% higher than normal. Such raw materials are subject exclusively to sealing - natural or chemical preservation. It is intended for direct feeding to livestock.

How long can grain be stored?

The durability of raw materials is the period during which wheat retains its consumer qualities. It happens:

biological - the period during which at least single grains are able to germinate;
economic - the period during which standard germination is maintained (the raw materials meet all sowing standards);
consumer (technological) - identical to biological, while retaining the full properties of grain for various human needs.

Under the right storage conditions, biological and consumer durability is 30 years, and economic durability is up to 10 years. Baking qualities do not change during this period.

Shelf life of grain and biological stability of crops

Under biological resistance

of this or that culture understand the ability of plants (and in our case, seeds) not to change under the influence of time and external influences.
Various plants are divided into 3 classes of biosustainability - macrobiotics, mesobiotics and microbiotics
. If you ignore the biological characteristics of the crop, you can incorrectly calculate the storage time.

TO microbiotics
– crops that are short-lived in terms of storage include rye, sunflower, soybeans, and rapeseed. Their “shelf life” varies from 3 to 5 years.
Read also: How to deliciously cook saffron milk mushrooms - simple and quick recipes
The average shelf life is typical for mesobiotics
, including barley and corn (5-10 years)
To the most durable types (macrobiotics
) include wheat, peas, sorghum and oats (10-15 years).

Biostability largely depends on the conditions under which the mass is kept and the level of humidity. Resistance increases if the batch is dried - this way the aging process in the grain batch will slow down. Drying entails additional energy consumption and can lead to fragility and damage to the grains. In general, for most crops the optimal humidity for long-term storage is no higher than 13-14%

. A moisture level of 14% and above is the threshold at which free water appears inside the seed and vital processes are activated, which is undesirable.

Wheat storage conditions

Grain is stored in granaries - special structures, the design and construction of which take into account all the requirements for preserving the harvest. Active ventilation is mandatory. Quality is controlled at all stages: from collection to delivery to the consumer.

After harvesting, the grain is cleaned and dried to preserve it longer. The optimal indoor humidity is 10-12%, the maximum temperature for long-term storage is +10...+12°C. If these standards are observed, the crop will practically not lose weight and will remain suitable for processing for several years.

Methods

There are several ways to store grain crops. Some of them are used more often, others less often. It all depends on the type of storage and its capabilities, on the volume of raw materials stored for storage. The storage type can be closed or open.

Closed is the placement of products in concrete warehouses and metal containers. Open involves placement in heaps and trenches on the street with mandatory shelter from rain and sun. This is how fresh grain from the current harvest is stored; the closed method is used to preserve stocks for a long time.

in bulk

Bulk storage is the main and effective way of long-term storage of grain stocks at receiving, sorting and cleaning points. They warehouse and store grain by simply pouring it into piles on the floor of the warehouse. The method has many advantages over others:

storage area is used rationally;
rational use of granary resources;
convenient to load products for transportation;
allows you to effectively combat pests;
convenient to monitor and check the condition of products in storage;
saving on packaging costs.

The bulk method is practiced in covered warehouses and open areas for temporary storage. The grain is poured into containers or stored in piles, which are surrounded by a fence and covered with dense material that does not allow water to pass through. Seed material is not stored in bulk.

Dry method

The drying method, complete or partial, is used on an industrial scale for long-term storage in granaries. It is based on the fact that when moisture is extracted from grains, pathogens located on the surface cannot develop. The possibility of developing diseases is sharply reduced; such grain must be protected only from being eaten by rodents and insects.

Dehydration is carried out in two ways: with the help of heat and without its use. The greatest profitability is shown by the method in which the grain is poured into containers where it is treated with air and heat.

Oxygen-free

The method is used mainly where the quality of the stored raw materials is of great importance. Enterprises use it because in the absence of oxygen in the grain, almost all pathogens and insects die. The oxygen-free method does not have a negative impact on the quality of raw materials; all nutrients are preserved. The method is used in flour mills and bakeries.

Expert opinion

Zarechny Maxim Valerievich

Agronomist with 12 years of experience. Our best country expert.

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Oxygen-free storage involves storing the product in sealed containers. To speed up preservation, carbon dioxide or dry ice is sometimes used, which releases carbon dioxide upon contact with air. The oxygen-free method is not suitable for saving seed material, which loses its viability without access to air.

Cooled

This method is popular in farming operations or small warehouses. This mode is convenient if it is not possible to quickly dry the grain, but you can save it in a cool state.

The technology is economical and is characterized by small product losses. The principle of the cooled method is similar to the drying method and lies in the fact that at low positive temperatures, as well as when exposed to heat, microorganisms stop their development. To preserve cooled grain in warehouses, a temperature of 5-10 ºС is artificially created and maintained.

Typically, supply and exhaust ventilation is used for this purpose; in summer the system operates at night, in other periods of the year - around the clock. Sometimes the grain is mixed on conveyor belts and cooled by fans. But this method is expensive, so it is not as popular as the usual one.

In bags

The packaging contains seeds of elite varieties of cereals or the first harvest collected from a new variety of cereals. Conventional planting material is often stored in bulk. The bags also store grain of expensive varieties with a thin-walled shell. Fabric, polypropylene or nylon bags that are resistant to moisture and damage are used. Bags with contents are stacked on pallets made of boards, the height of the stack is no more than 10-12 tiers.

In ears

The method of harvesting and storing crops in ears involves cutting the ears of corn in the field and forming them into ventilated bales. They are then transported to a ventilated warehouse where they are placed on pallets. The bales are cooled and left to dry and ripen. When cooled, the spikelets are stored until threshing.

We create optimal conditions

The quality of placement is affected by humidity, contamination with microorganisms and violation of the integrity of grain, as well as proper operation of hangars. In some years, losses at the stage of preparation and subsequent processing reached up to 10%. Warehouses for storing grain provide a technological chain of events:

loading,
treatment,
formation of large parties,
accommodation, accommodation
internal movement,
unloading

Treatment before storage consists of drying to a moisture content of 10-12% and disinfection. Ionizing radiation or fumigation gives good results.

The main requirement for placement is cooling to a temperature of 10-12˚C and below. In such conditions, feed and food grain products are stored for up to 6 years or more, seeds of winter crops for about a year, and spring crops for more than six months.

Large grain storage facilities are regularly checked for temperature, humidity and insects. To maintain the required parameters, active ventilation is used. Seeds are checked for germination.

Granaries and warehouses

A granary is the optimal solution for storing and preserving grain crops for a long time. Thanks to the thoughtful layout and functionality of such hangars, after harvesting, the grain is disinfected and dried in a short time in compliance with special regimes. At the same time, before storing for long-term storage, the moisture content of the grain should not exceed 10 - 12%. This is why storage facilities must take into account the physical and physiological characteristics of the grain:

Granaries are divided into the following types:

The most widespread are grain warehouses with bulk storage. They can be mechanized, partially mechanized and without mechanization. Such buildings are easier to construct, you can use local materials - brick or rubble stone, but they are more difficult to operate, since it is impossible to completely abandon manual work with grain.

Bulk grain storage

If we talk about the construction of a large complex, then when planning it, individual buildings are placed along the longitudinal axis. There can be several such axes, then the storage will be organized like a “spider”. The same principle is used to install elevator silos.

Main types of granaries

Grain warehouse

It is used for food and feed grains, has a capacity of 20 to 500 tons. Large batches of products are stored in bulk, for small batches they make bins - they build partitions no more than 3 m in height, or store them in bags. The frame is made of metal or wood, the outer walls are made of concrete blocks, stone or brick, insulation and paneling, often metal. The roof is installed on metal or wooden rafters with insulation. Coating material - metal or asbestos-cement sheet.

Without insulation, they build a granary for short-term storage. Warehouse floors are installed with an asphalt top covering, inclined or horizontal. Horizontal floors allow you to work without mechanization using technological transport. The design of the granary with inclined floors simplifies the unloading of grain by gravity to the conveyors. The warehouse is loaded through upper conveyors installed under the roof along the axis of the warehouse.

Using containers

A grain storage bin is a cylindrical or rectangular warehouse, where the height is slightly greater than the plan area. Unlike silos, such grain storage containers have a large length in height; they are made of metal - steel, aluminum and various alloys with the ability to store grain without access to air. The disadvantage of metal storage facilities is the thermal expansion of the metal and the formation of condensation inside.

Sometimes a combined type is used, in which the products are placed in bulk or in bins.

Grain storage containers made from prefabricated structures can be used for bunker and bulk placement. They are characterized by ease of construction, high capacity and cost-effectiveness.

The decision on choosing the type of granary is made taking into account the volume and quality, the possibility of mechanization of the building and the remoteness of the construction region from transport routes.

Storing grain in convenient granaries does not stop complex processes in it:

Ripening occurs during the first 15-20 days after harvesting and is characterized by the continuation of nutrient synthesis processes - beneficial for quality.
Germination begins with increasing humidity.
Respiration - drops of water and carbon dioxide are released into the mass, activated when temperature and humidity increase, depends on the presence of bacteria and the timing of placement. Leads to self-heating, large loss of dry matter and a decrease in quality indicators.

Products that have self-warmed or sprouted are not suitable for processing.

Elevators

For drying, sorting and storing grain, complex granaries are built, which are called elevators. This is a type of mechanized grain storage facility designed for large volumes of products. Elevators can be transshipment, designed for long-term and temporary storage of grain. Work on them is automated.

The main components of elevators:

department for receiving and weighing products;
working tower with grain cleaning equipment;
buffer tanks for temporary storage;
dryers;
round or square silos installed in rows;
shipping department;
moving system (elevators, conveyors, conveyors);
equipment control system.

Silo towers are made of reinforced concrete (monolith, blocks) or steel sheets. A reinforced concrete structure is more stable, reliable and durable, but costs 50-70% more than a metal storage facility.

Elevator operation diagram

Products are delivered to the granary by rail, truck or water transport, and must be weighed. Unloading occurs on special equipment. Trucks unload grain into underground bins, after which it passes through the lower galleries, enters a bucket elevator (elevator) and rises into the working tower of the elevator.

The cars are unloaded with shovels or using inclined platforms. There are also self-unloading cars with hatches in the bottom. On water vessels, unloading is carried out using pneumatic devices.

In the working towers, the products are cleaned of impurities, dried if necessary, then lifted by another elevator onto an over-silo conveyor and unloaded into a silo. If it is necessary to ship grain, it is unloaded through the release pipe onto the silo conveyor. Transportation routes can be different, including drying, cleaning, weighing, and shipping.

Laboratories are organized at the elevator-type storage facility. Nearby there are buildings for administration and service personnel.

Pests and control measures

Pests cause damage to grain products:

mice, rats;
insects - flour mites, barn moths, etc.

Pests multiply quickly at temperatures of 18-32 ° C and humidity more than 14-16%. But insects quickly die at temperatures above 40-60 ° C or below -10... -15 ° C, as well as in carbon dioxide or nitrogen.

It is necessary to get rid of pests immediately, as they destroy products and contaminate them with the remains of their vital activity, often poisonous.

Control measures include several stages that can be carried out in combination:

disinfection, cleaning and cleaning,
chemical treatment, traps, ionizing radiation.

In storage facilities, it is important to control temperature and ventilation. In this case, grain products will be stored for 3-5 years without deterioration in quality, but the volume will naturally decrease due to shrinkage, cracking and respiration.

Metal silos

One type of granary is a metal silo - a structure in the form of a round tower. You can store quality grain in it for a long time and dry wet grain. Installing a metal silo is cheaper than a reinforced concrete structure.

Functions

A modern metal silo provides:

acceptance of grain for storage;
temperature control in different layers;
cooling;
drying;
Sample selection;
unloading

The structure is equipped with temperature and grain level sensors. Automation is installed for remote analysis and management of the storage system. Silo-type granaries are made with a conical or flat bottom.

Design Features

Before construction begins, a calculation of the grain silo is carried out. The roof must be rigid and airtight and not sag under the thick snow. Wind pressure and soil conditions are determined, and the risk of heeling under uneven load is calculated.

The walls are made of galvanized corrugated steel sheets of a certain thickness. They are connected with bolts. Metal can be coated with polymer materials and painted, which improves corrosion resistance, reduces friction and heat transfer, and increases hygiene. For the stability of the structure, stiffening ribs are used - racks and linings. When constructing granaries with a capacity of more than 2000 tons, additional support beams are used.

All types of silos are loaded through a central opening at the top using conveyors or gravity equipment. Unloading occurs through a funnel at the bottom or a hole in the grillage. Maintenance hatches, access doors with a platform, and stairs, including those on the roof, are provided. Aeration and thermometry systems are installed to maintain grain quality.

The peculiarity of the silo is that without the equipment of an unloading/unloading system it is impossible to use it. While hangars and classic grain warehouses can be adapted to a variety of needs.

Tips for Newbies

A self-built granary will help preserve feed grain purchased for feeding livestock on a private farm or farm. But large volumes of grain mass require a serious approach, special buildings and technologies. Prefabricated structures with a capacity from 20 m3 to 20,000 tons can help with storage of products in various climatic conditions and are effective from an economic point of view.

In addition, for a strong and durable design, we recommend:

Source

Mini-elevator or grain storage in the yard

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Good day everyone. The harvest of grains, legumes, etc. has been harvested, now the question arises of how to preserve it. Anyone who has experience storing grain, please share.

If you have money, set up a hangar, but if you don’t have money, take it to the elevator.

The hangar takes up a lot of space and storage efficiency is not great; grain must be constantly transferred.

So the question arose, maybe someone knows, or made containers with a low cost of approx. for 50-100 tons. It’s easy to take grain from the containers, and it’s not difficult to load; pouring from one to another is not a problem.

Did you ever think of using barrels from some oil depot? Last year I bought a new 50 cc barrel for diesel fuel for 15 thousand from a neighboring collective farm, I’ll wait for the snow, I’ll drag a couple more, they’ll make it on the farm.

It is not advisable to use containers for fuel and lubricants for grain, the toxicity in the metal remains, you will have to cover it, and this will cost such a pretty penny, wow. Now we are thinking through the design, a hexagonal assembly, in sections 1.5 m up,

Yesterday was too early, tomorrow may be too late!

From the professional sheet, as I understand it, if we started a conversation, then let’s go into more detail.

Vladimer, let's figure it out, everyone will benefit. A very pressing issue is grain storage. maybe we can develop a concept

Ivan, don’t be poor, because you’ve gone through everything, tell me a lot, get involved in the topic.

It seems to me that if you are building a new silo, it is better not to bother and buy a ready-made one; they make any kind of container now. Or order the profiled sheet to be rolled to the required radius and assemble it yourself; if the volume is small (probably no more than 100 tons), then the frame will not be needed.

Ready-made, it turns out a little expensive. If we order any elements. We have not yet fully decided on the design, or rather the elements. How do you say to roll a sheet to the required diameter? Can you explain in more detail?

Ready-made granary projects

Ready-made granary projects are standard solutions for the construction of agricultural buildings. Buildings can have either a small area or be intended for large agricultural-industrial complexes. However, the advantage in both cases will be a fully thought-out layout and optimal functionality.

The most popular projects are prefabricated hangars. These include LGSF complexes with a volume of 4500 tons of grain for storage in bulk, in which:

Below are two options for a grain warehouse based on light steel frames:

Filling the hangar with grain (see diagrams):

The cost of supplying the granary includes: