Development of new method of drying at energy-saving universal dryer to improve quality of crops used in fodder production

A new universal method of efficient, low temperature, convective drying has been developed, which allows drying seed, ground mass of grain, leguminous, fodder and industrial crops, as well as flax straw, flax and wood sawn to obtain finished products of high quality and reduce energy consumption for moisture removal. Fuller realization of the advantages of the new method required the development of a new dryer. The process of drying material is carried out in a motionless layer. The uniformity of drying on the area of the drying chamber is provided with a wedge form of channels for supply of the drying agent, which expense on the entrance is regulated at louver valves and also at each channel an air distributing grid with adjustable coefficient of equipotential section. The uniformity of drying on the height of a layer of material is provided with reversal of the direction of the movement of the drying agent in the middle of the drying process. Automation of the process of drying is based on constant control of the mass of material in the drying chamber. Tests of the dryer are carried out under production conditions. Drying was conducted in the new way of seed heap of grain crops and chopped grass mass of clover. The results showed that the commercially available drier energy consumption for the drying process is higher than 30 %. The actual heat consumption for removal of one kilogram of moisture from wheat grain with an initial moisture content of 24.7 % to a moisture content of 13.5 % was 3.5 MJ. The seeds of cereal crops, which are dried in the new method after cleaning and sorting, had viability, energy of germination and seedling up to 98 %.