Validation of efficient grain drying system by using heat pump technology

Title

Validation of efficient grain drying system by using heat pump technology

Duration

March 2020 / August 2020

VIDA Challenges

Sustainable agriculture and efficient greenhouse management

Summary

The scope of the JAtrock company is to develop more energy efficient grain drying systems that today’s best available technology. No commercial grain drying system using cooling equipment to pre-heat the drying air. This part in itself makes the JAtrock solution 3 to 4 times more efficient than today’s best available technology.

The JAtrock concept compared to other solutions:

– large mobile device: 1,5 kWh/kg water
– large stationary: 5,48 kWh/kg water
– JAtrock solution: 0,3 kWh/kg water

After some initial prototypes VIDA have funded an upscale test model. That is being built by the partner company SERVEX. The equipment will be tested by the agriculture knowledge organization SEGES. The validation is expected to show an energy use of 0,3 kWh/kg water removed from the grain in a real set up at a farm, with a batch of 3 ton grain with a moisture content of 20% dried to 14%.

The key to the high JAtrock efficiency are different things:

• Use of a heat pump
• Use of heat exchange
• re-circulation of drying air
• novel process design

Furthermore the objectives of the test is to validation that:

• JAtrock drying equipment solution is adaptable to silos and grain handling systems at the farmer.
• The JAtrock drying equipment solution is 5 to 10 times more energy efficient that today’s used technology in Europe, and adaptable to the farmer grain handling in a way that less manual work is needed.

Therefore Innovation from a value chain perspective are:

• Less need for handling of humid grain.
• More energy efficient drying process

Another upside of the JAtrock concept is that it is expected to be easy to fit to a level storage. The VIDA funded test of the JAtrock technology solution has to be carried out a real environment show its strength. Therefore, the validation has to fit the seasoning of the farmer.

The outcome of the validation will clearly providing evidence of the advantages of the solution. The credibility is underpinned by the farmers’ own organization, SEGES, which is a partner in the JAtrock project.