The formation of dew on a cooled surface in contact with wheat

Abstract

A dew-point hygrometer set in the side of a water jacketed box of wheat was used to study the formation of dew on a cooled surface in contact with wheat. The equilibrium relative humidity of the intergranular air was also measured with the same apparatus. Over the range of cooling times from 0·4 to 4 min the relationship between dew point depression and cooling time appeared to be linear for grain moisture contents of 11·9, 15·4 and 18·1 per cent and initial grain temperatures of 25 and 35°C. The cooling rate required to form dew was found to be too rapid to account for moisture-induced damage to grain in metal silos.