During the time of harvest, it becomes difficult to store and manage the yield. Regular storage rooms are inefficient in terms of providing the necessary capacity and maintaining output. These units are not equipped with the advanced technologies that the crops require with the on-going increasing population and their growing needs. Transporting such a large amount of output grown over acres of land has been difficult, with additional fees and inconvenience. Previously, it used to squander a considerable quantity of production. Some of the produce was even harmed because it had to be stored outside due to a lack of storage space, making it vulnerable to animals and birds. So, the crops would be destroyed within a year, with no long-term profit from selling them at the most incredible price. Therefore, before being loaded to manufacturers and merchants, the crops required a quantitative storage unit.Furthermore, keeping crops in warehouses was a traditional technique that now offers no particular benefit. Modern technological storage units have arisen due to these factors, and many farmers are now using them. As a result, they now store the grains themselves rather than depending on commercial facilities such as elevators. So what are these modern grain storage and maintenance units, and what do the different types in them depend upon the need. Let’s discuss this in this article.
Grain Bins
The premium storage bins protect the grains from natural disasters like hurricanes, floods, etc. They shield them from light rain, blazing sun, and strong winds. They may even dry wet crops that have come into contact with water and store the dried-out crops for a year. The harvest can be stored, dried, and shrunk without incurring additional costs. It has evolved into a commercial storage alternative for farmers. Moreover, prices are lower during the harvest season or during the off-season due to strong supply. Farmers can dry and store the surplus with the use of storage bins till the supply is fewer, and the demand is greater.
Types of Grain Bins
Flat Bottom Bins
Flat bottoms are the most cost-effective grain storage solution since they can be loaded with a smaller conveyor than a similar-height cone-based variant. These flat bins are manufactured to the most outstanding construction standards, ensuring a versatile and dependable asset that will safeguard the grain while providing an unequalled investment return.
Hopper Bottoms
Hopper silos are used for the storage of seeds and grains. They are designed to unload through gravity’s action. They are made of iron band braces and named after their shapes like cone bottoms or hopper bottoms, which are excellent for farmers looking for smaller storage solutions. A hopper bottom can directly store the season’s growth, unload it at the time of use, and even provide temporary wet grain storage as part of a grain drying plant. Hopper bottoms differ from other storage and crop handling systems because they are relatively simple to load and unload. It’s easier to clean and maintain because there’s less surface area to cover, and grain will be drained each time it’s emptied.
Special Dry Bins
A dryer plus storage bin is a container used to dry and store the yield. They look similar to hopper bottoms from the top chamber. Through the top, the production enters the dryer and slides into a self-cleaning section in the form of a chamber. This chamber also serves as a mode of uniformly dispersing grains throughout the bin. The feedstock falls into the dryer’s thermal portion. The yield’s drying quality is gradually improved due to the extended retention period and low temperature. Further, the crops are cooled and placed in the bottom of the bin once it has been thoroughly dried without any moisture left.
