Grain aeration systems and techniques

• US 7,243,857 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2005
• Issued: 07/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Targeted Grain Management Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cerys Systems Inc.
• Inventors: Kallestad, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): NORMAN, MARC E
• Application Number:
  US11/303,595
• Publication Number:
  US 20060091231A1
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 236/49.3, 236/44.A, 236/44.C, 236/91.C, 454/174, 454/178, 454/180, 454/181, 454/182, 454/258, 344/87, 344/91, 344/92, 345/65, 345/69
• US Class Current: 236/49.3
• CPC Class Codes: A01F 25/22 Ventilating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 21/06 Controlling, e.g. regulating, parameters of gas supply F26B21/14 takes precedence; control in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 25/22 Controlling the drying process in dependence on liquid content of solid materials or objects
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 9/063 for drying granular material in bulk, e.g. grain bins or silos with false floor shallow layer rotary sweep drying bins F26B9/10; perforated wall silos with drying air channels in the stack F26B9/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0284 Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

In one embodiment, the invention is directed toward a networked grain aeration control system. For example, the system can provide centralized monitoring of the aeration of a number of grain storage facilities, thereby improving the management of stored grain. The networked grain aeration control system can allow the custodian of the system to offer an aeration service. Farmers, or other individuals, cooperatives, or companies can purchase the aeration service at a cost proportionate to the amount of stored grain to be aerated and the duration of storage. In this manner, the purchaser of the aeration service can avoid relatively high fixed costs that can be associated with various aeration hardware.

Claims

1. A crop storage system for reducing defect levels to increase crop quality, comprising:

a crop storage facility;

a fan associated with the crop storage facility, wherein the fan is configured to aerate the crop; and

a computing device in communication with the crop storage facility, wherein the computing device is configured to;

manage the storage of the crop;

determine an amount of heat generated by the fan; and

adjust the management of the storage of the crop according to the determined amount of heat.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device estimates the amount of heat generated by the fan, wherein factors associated with the estimate include the size of the crop storage facility and the size of the fan.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a static pressure node, wherein the computing device is configured to receive static pressure data from the static pressure node and estimate the amount of heat generated by the fan from the static pressure data.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a heat sensor for measuring the amount of heat generated by the fan, wherein the computing device is configured to receive the heat data and adjust the management according to the determined amount of heat.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is configured to manage crop temperature.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the crop temperature includes a crop temperature band.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the band is an asymmetrical crop temperature band.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is configured to manage relative humidity.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the relative humidity includes a relative humidity band.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the band is an asymmetrical relative humidity band.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a remote management computer in secure communication with the computing device, wherein the remote management computer enforces management policies on the computing device.

12. A computer-implemented method for reducing defect levels of crops by compensating for fan heat during the storage of the crop;

providing communication between a computing device and a crop storage facility;

obtaining fan heat data associated with the aeration of a crop in the crop storage facility; and

adjusting management of the crop in the crop storage facility to compensate for the fan heat data.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the fan heat data includes the size of the crop storage facility and the size of the fan.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the fan heat data includes static pressure data.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the fan heat data includes the amount of heat generated by the fan.

16. A computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions for managing a crop storage facility by compensating for fan heat generated during the aeration of a stored crop;

providing communication between a computer and a crop storage facility having an aeration fan;

managing the aeration fan to maintain at least one of;

a crop temperature and a relative humidity;

obtaining aeration fan heat data associated with the aeration of a crop; and

adjusting the management of the aeration fan according to the aeration fan heat data.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the aeration fan heat data includes data associated with at least one of:

heat generated by the aeration fan, aeration fan size, crop storage facility size, amount of crop, static pressure of the crop.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the crop temperature includes at least one of:

a temperature band and an asymmetrical temperature band.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the relative humidity includes at least one of:

a relative humidity band and an asymmetrical relative humidity band.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the computer is in communication with a remote management system, wherein the remote management system enforces a management policy on the computer.