Exercise 4

Grain Drying

1. Rationale

Drying is the removal moisture so that an unfavourable environment is present for yeast,
molds, and bacteria that normally cause spoilage.

Grain crops should be dried immediately after harvest to maintain its quality during storage
and to obtain best results from milling. However, seeds being hygroscopic may become wet after
being dried.

Among the factors that influence the rate of drying are the temperature and the relative
humidity of the drying air and the rate of airflow through the grains. For drying to occur, the vapour
pressure of the moisture within the grain must be higher than that of the moisture in the
atmosphere. Thus, sun or mechanical drying causes the heated air to raise the temperature of the
grain and increases its vapor pressure. The heating process hastens the transfer of the moisture
from the seeds to the heated air.

2. Mechanics

The students will be required to conduct a drying experiment, sun and mechanical methods
of moisture removal to desired level.

Seed moisture will be raised to 17.0, 20.0, 23.0 and 26.0% MC, w.b. prior to drying.

Cereals and field legumes maybe used in this exercise as test crops.

3. Data to gather

Data to be gathered include:

a. Air Temperature (0C) – every sampling

b. Relative Humidity (%) of the drying air – same as in 3a.
c. Moisture Content (%, w.b.) – same as in 3a.
d. Weight (g) of samples – same as in 3a.
e. Drying time (hr) – when seed moisture at sampling time is 13.0%+ 1.0
f. Rate of Moisture reduction/hr – based on 3e.

4. References