Grain and Forage Dryers

Summary of Vertec VT 5600 R Grain Cleaner (Evaluation Report - PDF File - 1.00 MB)

Functional Performance: Functional performance of the Vertec VT 5600 R (1979 model) continuous flow grain dryer was very good in wheat, barley, rapeseed and HyBrid 3996 corn.

Drying Capacity: The rated drying capacity of the Vertec VT 5600 R was 9.1 t/h (334 bu/h) in wheat, 8.1 t/h (372 bu/h) in barley, 3.7 t/h (163 bu/h) in rapeseed and 5.3 t/h (209 bu/h) in corn. No grain damage occurred when operating at the manufacturer's recommended settings.

Fuel Consumption: Specific fuel consumption at rated drying capacity or the amount of propane required to dry a quantity of grain was 12.3 L/t (7.4 gal/100 bu) in wheat, 13.2 L/t (6.3 gal/100 bu) in barley, 10.0 L/t (5.0 gal/100 bu) in rapeseed and 24.7 L/t (13.8 gal/100 bu) in corn. This corresponded to a fuel consumption of 112 L/h (24.6 gal/h) in wheat, 107 L/h (23.5 gal/h) in barley, 37 L/h (8.1 gal/h) in rapeseed and 131 L/h (28.8 gal/h) in corn.

Energy Requirements: Specific energy consumption at rated capacity or the total energy required to remove a quantity of water from the grain, was 4700 kJ/kg (2000 Btu/lb) in wheat, 5100 kJ/kg (2200 Btu/lb) in barley, 4600 kJ/kg (2000 Btu/lb) in rapeseed and 4400 kJ/kg (1900 Btu/lb) in corn.

Ease of Operation and Adjustment: The Vertec VT 5600 R was easy to transport and set up. Burner performance was good and provided a steady and uniform grain drying temperature in most conditions. Optional equipment was required to dry corn at temperatures below 0° C (32°F). The grain drying temperature was easy to set, but had to be set slowly. Grain cooling was good and easy to adjust. Ease of filling and unloading was very good. Grain flow was uniform and adequate, but sensitive to adjust. Ease of cleaning the Vertec VT 5600 R was excellent. Lubrication points were accessible and easy to service.

Safety: The Vertec VT 5600 R was safe to operate as long as the manufacturer's safety instructions were followed. The sound level at the operator's station was 69 dBA.

Operator Manual:The operator's manual was well illustrated, clearly written and contained much useful information.

Mechanical History: The rear cross auger drive belt broke once during the test.

Summary of Superb S500C (1980 Model) Grain Dryer (Evaluation Report - PDF File - 1.06 MB)

Functional Performance: Functional performance of the Superb S500C (1980 model) continuous flow grain dryer was very good in wheat, barley, rapeseed and Hybrid 3996 corn.

The rated drying capacity of the Superb S500C was 9.4 t/h (345 bu/h) in wheat, 7.0 t/h (332 bu/h) in barley, 4.8 t/h (212 bu/h) in rapeseed and 4.8 t/h (189 bu/h) in corn. Grain damage occurred in wheat when operating at the manufacturer's setting.

Fuel Consumption: Specific fuel consumption at rated capacity, or the amount of propane required to dry a quantity of grain, was 8.2 L/t (4.9 gal/100 bu) in wheat, 8.4 L/t (4.0 gal/100 bu) in barley, 7.9 L/t (3.9 gal/100 bu) in rapeseed and 18.9 L/t (10.5gal/100 bu) in corn. This corresponded to a fuel consumption of 77 L/h (16.9 gal/h) in wheat 59 L/h (12.9 gal/h) in barley, 38 L/h (8.3 gal/h) in rapeseed and 91 L/h (19.9 gal/h) in corn.

Energy Requirements:Specific energy consumption at rated capacity, or the total energy required to remove a quantity of water from the grain was 3300 kJ/kg (1400 Btu/lb) in wheat, 3 400 kJ/kg (1500 Btu/lb) in barley, 3800 kJ/kg (1600 Btu/lb) in rapeseed and 3500 kJ/kg (1500 Btu/lb) in corn.

Ease of Operation and Adjustment: The Superb S500C was easy to install, but was not equipped for transporting, Burner performance was very good and provided a steady and uniform grain drying temperature in all conditions. Grain drying temperature was easy to set and was adequate for all conditions. Grain cooling was very good and easy to adjust. Ease of filling and unloading was good, Grain flow was uniform, adequate and easy to adjust. Ease of cleaning the Superb S500C was good. Small grains and fines partially plugged the grain chamber screens. and had to be cleaned out regularly. Lubrication points were accessible and easy to service.

Safety: The Superb S500C was safe to operate as long as the manufacturer's safety instructions were followed. The sound level at the operator's station was 85 dBA.

Operators Manual: The operator's manual was well illustrated. clearly written and contained much useful information.

Mechanical History: Three minor durability problems occurred during the tests.

Summary of Moridge 8440 Grain Dryer (Evaluation Report - PDF File - 1.02 MB)

Functional Performance: The Moridge 8440 recirculating batch grain dryer was very good in wheat, barley, rapeseed and Hybrid 3996 corn.

Drying Capacity: The rated drying capacity of the Moridge 8440 was 127 bu/h (3.5 t/h) in wheat, 134 bu/h (2.9 t/h) in barley, 124 bu/h (2.8 t/h) in rapeseed and 87 b/h (2.2 t/h) in corn.

Fuel Consumption: At rated drying capacity, the specific fuel consumption or the amount of propane required to dry a quantity of grain was 5.4 gal/100 bu (9.1 L/t) in wheat, 5.1 gal/100 bu (10.6 L/t) in barley, 4.2 gal/100 bu (8,4 L/t) in rapeseed and 11.4 gal/100 bu (20 4 L/t) in corn. This corresponds to a fuel consumption of 7.0 gal/h (32 L/h) in wheat, 6.6 gal/h (30 L/h) in barley, 5.3 gal/h (24 L/h) in rapeseed and 9.9 gal/h (45 L/h) in corn.

Energy Consumption: At rated capacity, the specific energy consumption or the total energy required to remove a quantity of water from the grain, was 1500 Btu/lb (3600 kJ/kg) in wheat, 1800 Btu/lb (4200 kJ/kg) in barley, 1500 Btu/lb (3600 kJ/kg) in rapeseed and 1600 Btu/b (3700 kJ/kg) in corn.

Grain Quality: A grade loss occurred in commercial red spring wheat when operating at the manufacturers recommended temperature settings. At temperature settings that did not reduce the grade of commercial red spring wheat the rated drying capacity decreased 30 to 40% while specific fuel and energy consumption increased by 10 to 20%.

Ease of Operation and Adjustment: The Moridge 8440 was easy to transport and setup. Burner performance was very good and provided a steady and uniform drying air temperature in most conditions. Adequate drying air temperatures could not be obtained when drying corn at outside temperatures below 20 F (-7oC). The drying air temperature was easy to set. Grain cooling was very good. Ease of filling and unloading was good. Grain recirculation was adequate for most conditions. Ease of cleaning the Moridge 8440 was fair. Lubrication points were accessible and fairly easy to service.

Safety: The Moridge 8440 was safe to operate as long as the manufacturer's safety instructions were followed. The sound level at the operator's station was 102 dBA. It is recommended that an operator wear ear protection when working near the Moridge 8440.

Operator Manual: The operator manual was well illustrated, clearly written and contained much useful information.

Mechanical History: Seven minor mechanical problems occurred during the tests.

Summary of GT 380 Grain Dryer (Evaluation Report - PDF File - 1.11 MB)

Functional Performance: The GT 380 recirculating batch grain dryer was very good in wheat, barley, rapeseed and Hybrid 3996 corn.

Drying Capacity: The rated drying capacity of the GT 380 was 99 bu/h (2.7 t/h) in wheat, 124 bu/h (2.7 t/h) in barley, 110 bu/h (2.5 t/h) in rapeseed and 75 bu/h (1.9 t/h) in corn.

Fuel Consumption: At rated drying capacity, the specific fuel consumption or the amount of propane required to dry a quantity of grain was 6.4 gal/100 bu (10.6 L/t) in wheat. 4.9 gal/100 bu (10.3 L/t) in barley, 4.7 gal/100 bu (9.5 L/t) in rapeseed and 12.7gal/100 bu (22.7 L/t) in corn. This corresponds to a fuel consumption of 6.4 gal/h (29 L/h) in wheat, 6.2 gal/h (28 L/h) in barley, 5.3 gal/h (24 L/h) in rapeseed and 9.5 gal/h (43 L/h) in corn.

Energy Consumption: At rated capacity, the specific energy consumption or the total energy required to remove a quantity of water from the grain, was 1900 Btu/lb (4300 kJ/kg) in wheat, 1800 Btu/lb (4100 kJ/kg) in barley, 1800 Btu/lb (4100 kJ/kg) in rapeseed and 1800 Btu/lb (4100 kJ/kg) in corn.

Grain Quality: No grade loss occurred when operating at the manufacturer's recommended temperature settings.

Ease of Operation and Adjustment: The GT 380 was difficult to transport, but easy to set up. Burner performance was very good and provided a steady and uniform drying air temperature in most conditions. Adequate drying air temperatures could not be obtained when drying corn at outside temperatures below 20°F (-7°C). The drying air temperature was easy to set. Grain cooling was very good. Ease of filling and unloading was good. Grain recirculation was adequate for all conditions. Ease of cleaning the GT 380 was good. Lubrication points were accessible and easy to service.

Safety: The GT 380 was safe to operate as long as the manufacturer's safety instructions were followed. The sound level at the operator's station was 103 dBA. It is recommended that an operator wear ear protection when working near the GT 380.

Operator Manual: The operator manual was well illustrated, clearly written and contained much useful information.

Mechanical History: Six minor mechanical problems occurred during the tests.

Summary of Adams Grain Dryer (Evaluation Report - PDF File - 0.73 MB)

Drying Capacity: The rated drying capacity of the Adams Grain Dryer was 82 bu/h (2.2 t/h) in wheat, 98 bu/h (2.1 t/h) in barley, 82 bu/h (1.9 t/h) in rapeseed and 61 bu/h (1.6 t/h) in Hybrid 3998 corn.

Fuel Consumption: At the rated drying capacity, the specific fuel consumption or the amount of propane required to dry a quantity of grain was 7.0 gal/100 bu (11.7 L/t) in wheat, 5.5 gal/100 bu (11.5 L/t) in barley, 5.5 gal/100 bu (11.0 L/t) in rapeseed and 13.3 gal/100 bu (23.8 L/t) in corn. This corresponds to a fuel consumption of 5.7 gal/h (26 L/h) in wheat, 5.4 gal/h (25 L/h) in barley, 4.5 gal/h (20 L/h) in rapeseed and 8.1 gal/h (37 L/h) in corn.

Energy Consumption: At rated drying capacity, the specific energy consumption or the total energy required to remove a quantity of water from the grain, was 2000 Btu/lb (4700 kJ/kg) in wheat, barley and rapeseed and 1900 Btu/lb (4400 kJ/kg) in corn.

Quality of Work: No grade loss occurred in the grains tested when operating at the manufacturer's recommended drying air temperature settings. The drying air temperature was very uniform and adequate for all drying conditions encountered, but was slightly lower than the temperature setting.

Ease of Operation and Adjustment: Ease of assembly and installation was very good. The Adams Grain Dryer was mounted on skids for transporting short distances. Ease of filling and discharge was fair. Ease of drying was fair as regular supervision was required. The drying air temperature was difficult to set. Ease of cooling was good. Ease of cleaning the Adams Grain Dryer was good as the air plenum and auger sump required cleaning weekly. Only seasonal lubrication was required making the ease of servicing excellent.

Power Requirements: The Adams Grain Dryer required 10.4 hp (7.8 kW) when operated on 230 V AC electrical power.

Safety: The Adams Grain Dryer was safe to operate as long as the manufacturer's limited safety instructions and common safety practices were followed. The sound level at the operator's station was 107 dBA. It is recommended that the operator wear ear protection when working near the Adams Grain Dryer.

Operator Manual: The operator manual was incomplete and poorly written, providing limited useful information on operation, adjustments and safety.

Mechanical History: Seven mechanical problems occurred during the test.

Summary of Drymor Redbird Grain Dryer (Evaluation Report - PDF File - 0.78 MB)

Drying Capacity: The rated drying capacity of the Drymor Redbird was 137 bu/h (3.7 t/h) in wheat, 153 bu/h (3.3 t/h) in barley, 101 bu/h (2.3 t/h) in rapeseed and 104 bu/h (2.6 t/h) in Hybrid 3996 corn.

Fuel Consumption: At rated drying capacity, the specific fuel consumption or the amount of propane required to dry a quantity of grain was 7.4 gal/100 bu (12.4 L/t) in wheat, 5.8 gal/100 bu (12.1 L/t) in barley, 6.3 gal/100 bu (12.6 L/t) in rapeseed and 13.0 gal/100 bu (23.3 L/t) in corn. This corresponds to a fuel consumption of 10.1 gal/h (46 L/h) in wheat, 8.8 gal/h (40 L/h) in barley, 6.4 gal/h (29 L/h) in rapeseed and 13.7 gal/h (62 L/h) in corn.

Energy Consumption: At rated drying capacity, the specific energy consumption or the total energy required to remove a quantity of water from the grain, was 2100 Btu/lb (4900 kJ/kg) in wheat, 2300 Btu/lb (5400 kJ/kg) in barley, 2000 Btu/lb (4700 kJ/kg) in rapeseed and 1800 Btu/lb (4200 kJ/kg) in corn.

Quality of Work: No grade loss occurred when drying commercial rapeseed or feed barley and corn. A grade loss did occur in commercial red spring wheat when operating at the manufacturer's recommended drying air temperature setting. At a drying air temperature that did not reduce the grade of commercial red spring wheat, the rated drying capacity would decrease 40 to 50%, while specific fuel and energy consumption would increase by 10 to 20%. The drying air temperature was uniform and adequate for all drying conditions encountered, but was slightly lower than the gauge reading.

Ease of Operation and Adjustment: Ease of assembly and installation was very good. The Drymor Redbird was not equipped for transporting. The automatic controls made the ease of filling, drying, cooling and discharge very good. Supervision was only required on the first run each time grain conditions changed to determine the new control settings. The drying air temperature was easy to set. Ease of cleaning the Drymor was fair and it required weekly cleanup. Lubrication points were accessible and daily servicing took 2 minutes, making the ease of servicing very good.

Power Requirements: The Drymor Redbird required 13.7 hp (10.2 kW) when operated on 230 V AC electrical power.

Safety: The Drymor Redbird was safe to operate as long as the manufacturer's safety instructions were followed. The dryer was quiet to work around. The operator's station was located near the fan resulting in a sound level of 90dBa.

Operator Manual: The operator manual was well illustrated, clearly written and contained much useful information.

Mechanical History: One minor mechanical problem occurred during the test.

Summary of Super-B AS-600G Grain Dryer (Evaluation Report - PDF File - 0.92 MB)

Drying Capacity: The rated drying capacity of the Super-B AS-600G was 143 bu/h (3.9 t/h) in wheat, 179 bu/h (3.9 t/h) in barley, 140 bu/h (3.2 t/h) in rapeseed, and 126 bu/h (3.2 t/h) in Hybrid 2120 corn.

Fuel Consumption: At rated drying capacity, the specific fuel consumption or the amount of propane required to dry a quantity of grain was 6.4 gal/100 bu (10.7 L/t) in wheat, 5.8 gal/100 bu (12.1 L/t) in barley, 4.6 gal/100 bu (9.3 L/t) in rapeseed, and 11.0 gal/100 bu (19.6 L/t) in corn. This corresponds to a fuel consumption of 9.2 gal/h (42 L/h) in wheat, 10.3 gal/h (47 L/h) in barley, 6.6 gal/h (30 L/h) in rapeseed, and 13.6 gal/h (62 L/h) in corn.

Energy Consumption: At rated drying capacity, the specific energy consumption or the total energy required to remove a quantity of water from the grain was 1800 Btu/lb (4200 kJ/kg) in wheat, 2000 Btu/lb (4700 kJ/kg) in barley, 1700 Btu/lb (3900 kJ/kg) in rapeseed, and 1500 Btu/lb (3600 kJ/kg) in corn.

Quality of Work: No grade loss occurred in the grains tested when operating at the manufacturer's recommended drying air temperature settings. The drying air temperature was very uniform and adequate for all drying conditions encountered and was close to the temperature setting.

Ease of Operation and Adjustment: Ease of assembly and installation was excellent. The Super-B AS-600G was not equipped for transporting. The automatic controls made the ease of filling, drying, cooling, and discharge very good. Supervision was only required on the first run each time grain conditions changed to determine the new control settings. The drying air temperature was easy to set. Ease of cleaning the Super-B was very good. However, the screens required daily cleaning in rapeseed. Lubrication points were accessible and semi-monthly servicing took two minutes, making the ease of servicing very good.

Power Requirements: The Super-B AS-600G required 15.8 hp (11.8 kW) when operated on 230 V AC electrical power.

Safety: The Super-B AS-600G was safe to operate as long as the manufacturer's safety instructions were followed. The sound level at the operator's station was 102 dBA. It is recommended that the operator wear ear protection when working near the Super-B AS-600G.

Operator's Manual: The operator's manual was good. It was sufficiently illustrated, clearly written, and contained much useful information. However, it contained a few errors and omissions.

Mechanical History: Two minor mechanical problems occurred during the test.

Summary of Bader Bin (Evaluation Report - PDF File - 1.19MB)

Drying uniformity was very good. System pressure loss was 0.5 to 1.5 in wg (125 to 375 Pa) at an airflow of 2000 cfm (940 L/s) in wheat. The natural drying system could be factory installed only in Bader bins and could not be field installed.

Ease of cleaning the natural air drying system was very good. No operator's manual was provided and no mechanical problems were encountered. The bin and air distribution system were epoxy coated for storing fertilizer.

Summary of Grain Guard GG 7000 Bin (Evaluation Report - PDF File - 1.19MB)

Drying uniformity was very good. System pressure loss was 0.5 to 1.5 in wg (125 to 375 Pa) at an airflow of 2000 cfm (940 L/s) in wheat. The natural air drying system was factory installed by the bin manufacturer and could be field installed in some bins.

Ease of cleaning the natural air drying system was good. No operator's manual was provided and no mechanical problems were encountered. The system could be epoxy coated as an option for storing fertilizer.

Summary of Keho Diamond Bin (Evaluation Report - PDF File - 1.19MB)

Drying uniformity was good. System pressure loss was 0.5 to 1.5 in wg (125 to 375 Pa) at an airflow of 2000 cfm (940 L/s) in wheat. The natural air drying system was field installed by two men in about 4 hours. It could be installed in any bin.

Ease of cleaning the natural air drying system was very good. The operator's manual was very good, although installation instructions were not clear. No mechanical problems were encountered. The system had to be removed for storing fertilizer.

Summary of Lode-King High Flow Bin (Evaluation Report - PDF File - 1.19MB)

Drying uniformity was very good. System pressure loss was 0.5 to 1.5 in wg (125 to 375 Pa) at an airflow of 2000 cfm (940 L/s) in wheat. The natural air drying system was factory installed and could be field installed in some bins.

Ease of cleaning the natural air drying system was very good. No operator's manual was provided and no mechanical problems were encountered. The system had to be removed for storing fertilizer.

Summary of Trail Rite Mark IV Bin (Evaluation Report - PDF File - 1.19MB)

Drying uniformity was good. System pressure loss was 1.0 to 2.0 in wg (250 to 5005 Pa) at an airflow of 2000 cfm (940 L/s) in wheat. The distribution duct was factory installed and could be field installed in some bins.

Ease of cleaning the natural air drying system was very good. The short slide-grate crank handle was potentially unsafe to operate when unloading. No operator's manual was provided and no mechanical problems were encountered. The system had to be removed for storing fertilizer.

Summary of Weninger Horizontal (Evaluation Report - PDF File - 1.19MB)

Drying uniformity was good. System pressure loss was 0.5 to 1.5 in wg (125 to 375 Pa) at an airflow of 2000 cfm (940 L/s) in wheat. Installing the natural air drying system took two men about 2 hours, it could be field installed in some bins.

Ease of cleaning the natural air drying system was good. Instructions were good, but did not include complete natural air drying guidelines, No mechanical problems were encountered. The system had to be removed for storing fertilizer.

Summary of Weninger Rocket Bin (Evaluation Report - PDF File - 1.19MB)

Drying uniformity was very good. System pressure loss was 0.5 to 1.4 in wg (125 to 375 Pa) at an airflow of 2000 cfm (940 L/s) in wheat. The natural air drying system was factory installed but could be field installed in Weninger bins.

Ease of cleaning the natural air drying system was good. Instructions were very good, but did not include complete natural air drying guidelines. No mechanical problems were encountered. The system had to be removed for storing fertilizer.

Summary of Keho Cyclone Bin (Evaluation Report - PDF File - 0.68MB)

Average-drying time was 0.95 times the reference bin. Thorough-drying time was greater than 1.75 times the reference bin.

Airflow rate was 1.05 cfm/bu (13.7 L/s m³) with a typical 3 hp (2.2 kW) fan. Drying uniformity results indicated that parts of the top layer of grain took grater than 35% longer to dry than if airflow uniformity was ideal.

The natural air drying system could be field installed in any bin. Ease of installing the fan was fair. Ease of cleaning was very good.

Installation instructions were provided and no mechanical problems were encountered. The system had to be removed for storing fertilizer.

Summary of Grain Guard GG 7000 Bin (Evaluation Report - PDF File - 0.68MB)

Average-drying time was 0.75 times the reference bin. Thorough-drying time was 1.05 times the reference bin.

Airflow rate was 1.20 cfm/bu (15.6 L/s m³) with a typical 3 hp (2.2 kW) fan. Drying uniformity results indicated that parts of the top layer of grain took greater than 35% longer to dry than if airflow uniformity was ideal.

The natural air drying system could be field installed in some bins. Ease of installing the fan was good. Ease of cleaning was very good.

No operator's manual was provided and no mechanical problems were encountered. The system could be epoxy coated for storing fertilizer.

Summary of Naicam Bin (Evaluation Report - PDF File - 0.68MB)

Average-drying time was 0.95 times the reference bin. Thorough-drying time was 1.10 times the reference bin.

Airflow rate was 1.05 cfm/bu (13.7 L/s m³) with a typical 3 hp (2.2 kW) fan. Drying uniformity results indicated that parts of the top layer of grain took greater than 35% longer to dry than if airflow uniformity was ideal.

The natural air drying system could be field installed in some bins. Ease of installing the fan was fair. The system had to be removed for storing fertilizer.

Summary of Taylor Bin (Evaluation Report - PDF File - 0.68MB)

Average-drying time was 0.90 times the reference bin. Thorough-drying time was 0.80 times the reference bin.

Airflow rate was 1.15 cfm/bu (15.0 L/s m³) with a typical 3 hp (2.2 kW) fan. Drying uniformity results indicated that parts of the top layer of grain took 14% longer to dry than if airflow uniformity was ideal.

The natural air drying system could be field installed in any bin. Ease of installing the fan was poor. Ease of cleaning was very good.

No operator's manual was provided and no mechanical problems were encountered. The system could be epoxy coated for storing fertilizer.

Summary of Univision Ultra-Dry (Series 2000) Bin (Evaluation Report - PDF File - 0.68MB)

Average-drying time was 0.70 times the reference bin. Thorough-drying time was 0.75 times the reference bin.

Airflow rate was 1.40 cfm/bu (18.2 L/s m³) with a typical 3 hp (2.2 kW) fan. Drying uniformity results indicated that parts of the outside layer of rain took greater than 35% longer to dry than if airflow uniformity was ideal.

The natural air drying system could be factory installed in Univision bins, but could not be field installed. Ease of installing the fan was good. Ease of cleaning was very good.

No operator's manual was provided and no mechanical problems were encountered. The system could be epoxy coated for storing fertilizer.

Summary of Bader Hooded Bin (Evaluation Report - PDF File - 0.90 MB)

Average-drying time was 0.70 times the reference bin. Thorough-drying time was 1.20 times the reference bin.

Airflow rate was 1.15 cfm/bu (15.0 L/s m³) with a typical 3 hp (2.2 kW) fan. Drying uniformity results indicated that parts of the top layer of grain took 32% longer to dry than if airflow uniformity was ideal.

The natural air drying system could be field installed in Bader bins. Ease of installing the fan was fair. Ease of cleaning was very good.

No operator's manual was provided and no mechanical problems were encountered. The system could be epoxy coated for storing fertilizer.

Summary of Grehl Bin (Evaluation Report - PDF File - 0.90 MB)

Average-drying time was 1.10 times the reference bin. Thorough-drying time was 1.20 times the reference bin.

Airflow rate was 0.90 cfm/bu (10.4 L/s m³) with a typical 3 hp (2.2 kW) fan. Drying uniformity results indicated that parts of the top layer of grain took 6% longer to dry than if airflow uniformity was ideal.

The natural air drying system could be field installed in any bin. Ease of installing the fan/transition unit was fair. Ease of cleaning was poor.

No operator's manual was provided and no mechanical problems were encountered. The system could not be epoxy coated for storing fertilizer.

Summary of Harvest Hopper Bin (Evaluation Report - PDF File - 0.90 MB)

Average-drying time was 1.00 times the reference bin. Thorough-drying time was 1.30 times the reference bin.

Airflow rate was 0.85 cfm/bu (11.1 L/s m³) with a typical 3 hp (2.2 kW) fan. Drying uniformity tests indicated that parts of the top layer of grain took 35% longer to dry than if airflow uniformity was ideal.

The natural air drying system could be factory installed in Harvest Hopper bins, but could not be field installed. Ease of installing the fan was very good. Ease of cleaning was very good.

No operator's manual was provided and no mechanical problems were encountered. The system could be epoxy coated for storing fertilizer.

Summary of Trail Rite V Aeration Bin (Evaluation Report - PDF File - 0.90 MB)

Average-drying time was 1.20 times the reference bin. Thorough-drying time was 1.10 times the reference bin.

Airflow rate was 1.00 cfm/bu (13.0 L/s m³) with a typical 3 hp (2.2 kW) fan. Drying uniformity results indicated that parts of the top layer of grain took 16% longer to dry than if airflow uniformity was ideal.

The natural air drying system could be field installed in some bins. Ease of installing the fan was good. Ease of cleaning was very good.

No operator's manual was provided and no mechanical problems were encountered. The system could be epoxy coated for storing fertilizer.

Summary of Univision In-Line Bin (Evaluation Report - PDF File - 0.90 MB)

Average-drying time was 0.90 times the reference bin. Thorough-drying time was 0.90 times the reference bin.

Airflow rate was 1.10 cfm/bu (14.3 L/s m³) with a typical 3 hp (2.2 kW) fan. Drying uniformity results indicated that parts of the top layer of grain took 17% longer to dry than if airflow uniformity was ideal.

The natural air drying system could be field installed in some bins. Ease of installing the fan was fair. Ease of cleaning was very good.

No operator's manual was provided and no mechanical problems were encountered. The system could be removed for storing fertilizer.

Summary of Univision Ultra-Dry Bin (Evaluation Report - PDF File - 0.90 MB)

Average-drying time was 0.70 times the reference bin. Thorough-drying time was 0.90 times the reference bin.

Airflow rate was 1.15 cfm/bu (15.0 L/s m³) with a typical 3 hp (2.2 kW) fan. Drying uniformity results indicated that parts of the top layer of grain took 33% longer to dry than if airflow uniformity was ideal.

The natural air drying system could be field installed in Univision bins, but could not be field installed. Ease of installing the fan was good. Ease of cleaning was good. Some grain remained in the bin when the initial grain moisture content was above 20%.

Summary of Westeel Boot Bin (Evaluation Report - PDF File - 0.90 MB)

Average-drying time was 1.00 times the reference bin. Thorough-drying time was 1.20 times the reference bin.

Airflow rate was 0.85 cfm/bu (11.1 L/s m³) with a typical 3 hp (2.2 kW) fan. Drying uniformity results indicated that parts of the top layer of grain took 26% longer to dry than if airflow uniformity was ideal.

The natural air drying system could be field installed in bins with a Westeel Boot. Ease of installing the fan was very good. Ease of cleaning was very good.

No operator's manual was provided and no mechanical problems were encountered.No operator's manual was provided and no mechanical problems were encountered. The system could be removed for storing fertilizer.