FAQ
What is the importance of the front progress indication?
Grain aeration requires the entire bulk of the grain to be aerated to a common target. Stopping the aeration process to early could potentially leave a high moisture section of the grain half way up the silo. The Aeration Manager ensures that the front is moved totally through the grain before switching over the maintenance mode
The controller is equiped with assisted heating. When are the heaters meant to come on?
The heaters are meant to enable aeration to continue for longer. This means that if the ambient air is capable of drying the grain without the heaters, the heaters are not started. The condition that need to be satisfied for the heaters to come are as follows:
1) Ambient air without heating is wetter than the current grain moisture equivalent
2) Ambient air with heating is dryer than the grain moisture equivalent
3) The buffer zone in the silo is wetter than the minimum moisture target of the grain (to avoid over drying)
The outside air is cool enough so why is the controller not turning the fans on?
The Aeration Manager is equiped with a maximum grain moisture function. This means that even if the ambient air is cold enough, if that air(according to calculations) will rewet the grain beyond the maximum grain moisture level, that air is rejected and as such the fans will not turn on.
What are the functions of the Aeration Manager™?
There are three different types of aeration: drying, cooling and maintenance. To date this has never been combined in one controller, but the Aeration Manager™ has changed all that as it not only combines all three functions but automatically selects the correct type of aeration based on the condition of the grain. Once the drying setpoint has been reached, the controller automatically switches over to cooling and, when that setpoint has been reached, to maintenance.
How does the Aeration Manager™ work?
With existing aeration controllers, the activation of the fans is based on a combination of time functions and ambient air conditions. This rarely takes in the condition of the grain as a point of control. With the Aeration Manager™ the status (temp and moisture) of the stored grain is derived from data entered during inload and from weather station data during fan run hours. This predictive technology is the heart of the system and allows the controller to take the grain condition into consideration when activating the fan(s). This will therefore only turn on the fan(s) when the grain requires airflow.
How easy is it to operate Aeration Manager™?
If you can operate a bank teller machine, then you can operate an Aeration Manager™. And now, with improved menu selections, it has become even easier.
What does the operator have to do?
All you have to do, when filling the silo, is take (or estimate) a moisture level and temperature reading of the inloaded grain and enter this into the controller together with a figure for tonnage. The type of grain can then be selected from a list available at the controller. Once this data has been entered, you select your target moisture and target temperature and the controller will do the rest. This means that the controller will try to reach the selected conditions as quickly as possible using either its drying or cooling function and, once reached, the controller will revert back to a maintenance mode which will prevent the grain starting to gain temperature again.
Will the Aeration Manager work with my silos?
Proper aeration control relies on the correct selection of fans and ducting to achieve your target. This also takes into consideration the type of grain you wish to store and the time you have to reach your target. Even the available power plays a role. The Aeration Manager™ will automate the control of the fans but relies on the existence of correct equipment to look after your grain.
How much does it cost and what will I save?
The cost depends on how many options you wish to include but the basic controller works out at $1200.00 per silo. There are multiple ways in which you can save money, not all of which can easily be estimated. Consider however the following potential benefits:
• Early harvest to avoid potential hail damage
• Harvest higher moisture grain with higher protein levels as a result
• Better use of harvesters through longer days (not restricted by grain moisture)
• Reduction in fan hours by as much as 20%
• More control over when you choose to sell your grain