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Title: MEASUREMENT OF AIR ENTRAINMENT AND DUST EMISSION DURING SHELLED CORN RECEIVING OPERATIONS WITH SIMULATED HOPPER BOTTOM GRAIN TRAILERS

Author
item BILLATE, R - KSU, MANHATTAN, KS
item MAGHIRANG, R - KSU, MANHATTAN, KS
item Casada, Mark

Submitted to: ASAE Annual International Meeting
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/30/2002
Publication Date: 7/30/2002
Citation: Billate R.D.,Maghirang, R.G., and Casada, M.E. 2002. Measurement of Air Entrainment and Dust Emission During Shelled Corn Receiving Operations with Simulated Hopper Bottom Grain Trailers. ASAE Meeting Paper No. 026112. St. Joseph, MI. ASAE.

Interpretive Summary: Dust emissions from grain elevator operations can be a safety and health risk, and a nuisance. Dust emission and air entrainment data are needed for designing adequate and effective control methods. This study measured the dust emitted and air entrained during corn receiving operations at an elevator operated by the USDA Grain Marketing and Production Research Center, Manhattan, KS. Shelled corn (maize) was unloaded from a storage bin, representing a hopper bottom truck, to the dump pit at rate of 17 (2,300 bu/hr)to 118 kgs/s (15,600 bu/hr). The resulting airflow rate and dust emissions were measured with propeller anemometers and high volume samplers, respectively. Both the amount of air entrained per unit volume of grain (specific air entrainment) and dust emission rate expressed as g of dust per unit mass of grain decreased with increasing grain flow rate.

Technical Abstract: Dust emissions from grain elevator operations can be a safety and health risk, and a nuisance. Dust emission and air entrainment data are needed for designing adequate and effective control methods. This study measured the dust emitted and air entrained during corn receiving operations at an elevator operated by the USDA Grain Marketing and Production Research Center, Manhattan, KS. Shelled corn (maize) was unloaded from a storage bin, representing a hopper bottom truck, to the dump pit at rates of 17 to 118 kg/s. The resulting airflow rates and dust emissions were measured with propeller anemometers and high volume samplers, respectively. Both the amount of air entrained per unit volume of grain (specific air entrainment) and dust emission rate expressed as g of dust per unit mass of grain deceased with increasing grain flow rate. The highest specific air entrainment was 2.07 m^3/m^3 at a grain flow rate of 114 kg/s. The highest dust emission rate was 14.6 g/tonne at a grain flow rate of 17 kg/s while the lowest was 8.3 g/tonne at a grain flow rate of 118 kg/s.