NEW SILO BUYERS GUIDE: PART 2
SILO SAFETY:
Silo safety is our number one consideration when designing and manufacturing handling equipment for our growers. While it’s not mandated, you’ll want to consider a system that promotes ‘zero silo entry’; that doesn’t require you to get in the bin to manage your grain stores.
Proper set-up of aeration systems, and a good sealing mechanism, will mean your grain is manageable from the outside, and when you’re working with weights in the hundreds and thousands of tonnes, avoiding getting in the silo is a definite safety benefit.
If you’re looking at silo stairs or ladders to connect your storage network, you’ll also want to ensure that your agri dealer is constructing stairs and ladders that meet Australian safety standards.
FUMIGATION:
Fumigation is widely considered a critical component in the preservation of grain quality during storage. An efficient fumigation recirculation system will allow you to fumigate, using phosphine from the ground, with no access into the silo required.
This makes the fumigation process safer for you, the grain handler, as you won’t be unnecessarily exposed to potentially toxic fumigants, while protecting your grain from pest infestation.
AERATION:
Another way to protect your grain store from damage and loss of quality is to ensure your grain silos have an inbuilt aeration system. Aeration is a non-chemical solution which, when operating correctly, can protect your stored grain from pests, moisture and heat.
Effective aeration is achieved through the installation of fans which cool from the bottom of the stack upwards towards a ventilation point. Without proper ventilation, condensation will form at the top of the stack - through aeration cooling and natural reheating without a way for the hot air to escape - creating a further moisture problem.
Aeration is a must-have when it comes to purchasing a new grain storage system, and should be high on your list when you’re shopping around.
HYGIENE:
The quality of your grain will suffer if your silos are not cleaned thoroughly between uses. Some structural aspects that will assist in maintaining a hygienic silo include internal silo walls that do not hold on to residual grain, and easy-to-clean aeration trenches.
While there are certain structural components that will make it easier to keep a silo clean, it is worth noting that a bit of elbow grease will always be required to keep your silo, and therefore your grain, in the best possible condition.
SYSTEM CONFIGURATION:
The way you choose to configure your grain storage system will depend on your operation, and how you predict your future storage requirements to look. For example, you may feel it will be beneficial to have four large flat-bottom silos, or, it may seem more logical, based on the diversity in what you are growing, to have two flat bottoms and an array of smaller capacity hopper-bottom silos.
The way you configure your set-up will ultimately depend on your unique operation. Your agri dealer will be able to advise you on how you can best maximise storage space.
The above are just a few of the key considerations when looking at investing in a new grain storage system. If you’d like to know more, as always, get in touch with the team at Optimum Silos, on 0427 663 777.