Heat and mass transfer modelling for storage of food bulk raw materials under active ventilation

Abstract

The paper aims to research a possibility of storing plant agricultural raw materials. Rational management of natural resources is a dominant trend in the economy development, which involves the fullest processing of plant raw materials intended for human consumption with minimum waste. Active grain ventilation is conducted by drying at a low temperature to preserve the quality of raw and wet grain, as well as by cooling grain batches stored to increase their durability. With a certain moisture content grain can be gradually dried, cooled, preserved, aerated depending on its condition and purpose. These technological methods provide a significant reduction in energy costs in comparison with thermal drying, as well as improving the quality of seeds and grains due to the “soft” completion of the biochemical processes associated with maturation and stabilization of the protein-enzyme complex. Active ventilation requires no complex equipment or large capital investments. Therefore, it is no coincidence that the technologies developed on the basis of active ventilation are widely used in processing of main volumes of high quality grain in USA, Canada, and Australia. The intensification of the grain preparation process achieved by this way reduces energy costs of drying. The study models the storage conditions for bulks of various types of agricultural raw materials under active ventilation.