Grain Handling & Storage Tips

Drying and storing grain more efficiently

A Special Report
Offered By Farm Progress
 Contents
Brush Up On Your Corn Harvesting and Grain Management Skills ………..….3

Pick Best Way to Dry Corn..................3

Select Drying Method on Cost, End-use..................5

How Fast Can You Expect Corn to Dry Down?..................6

Prevent a Disaster in the Grain Bin ……..……..9

What if There is an Accident?……………..11

Online Resources for Grain Storing and Drying…………..11

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Brush Up On Your Corn Harvesting and Grain Management Skills
A key component of the grain management and marketing equation is storage. Should you store most of
your new crop and wait for a better price? Or, should you aggressively market in the fall? While the
answer isn't the same for every farmer, those considering short- or long-term storage will likely need to sit
down and run the numbers before settling on the most profitable option. That includes considering grain
condition and moisture content, energy costs for hauling and drying, and several other incidentals.

This paper is designed to help producers consider all the elements at work when making grain storage
decisions, offering best tips from Farm Progress' vast universe of grain storage resources to help farmers
squeeze more profit from each acre.

Pick Best Way to Dry Corn

Corn growers face one of their biggest challenges in the fall - drying corn. Make a mistake with drying
corn and you could lose a bin over the winter; mismanage the drying process and you could burn through
a lot of expensive fuel or electricity.

Here are some drying methods for your consideration.

Natural-air drying
Natural-air drying is economical, and there is no “bottleneck” at harvest, since bins are filled at the harvest
rate. Corn at 21% moisture content
can be dried to 15% in about 36 days
during October using an airflow rate
of 1.25 cubic feet per minute, or cfm,
per bushel. Because the temperature
is about 20 degrees F cooler in
November, the drying time increases
to about 56 days, and the final corn
moisture content will be about 18%.

Low-temperature drying
Low-temperature drying is defined as
a natural-air system with the air
heated by 5 degrees F more, which
permits drying during periods of
higher humidity and slightly reduces
drying time. Warming the air by 5
degrees during an average November
permits drying the corn to 15% in
about 52 days using an airflow rate of 1.25 cfm per bushel. Warming the air by 10 degrees in November
would further reduce the final moisture content to 12.5%, and slightly reduce drying time to 41 days.

Layer drying
Layer drying using a natural-air or low temperature system, or NA/LT, permits harvesting limited amounts
of grain at higher moisture content than could be dried in a full bin.

Fans warm the air that passes through them. The amount the air is warmed depends on operating static
pressure, fan type and fan efficiency.

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Temperature increases of 2 to 4 degrees F have been measured at 4 inches of static pressure and 4 to 6
degrees F at 6 inches of static pressure. This temperature increase needs to be included in designing and
managing a NA/LT drying system.

Combination drying
Combination drying utilizes a high-temperature dryer to remove some of the moisture, then uses a NA/LT
dryer to complete the drying. This increases the high-temperature drying capacity by two to three times
and results in high-quality grain.

High-temperature bin drying permits efficiently drying higher-moisture-content grain in a bin faster and
under conditions that would not be possible with a NA/LT drying system.

High-temperature bin batch dryers are simple, but it is difficult to determine the appropriate time to stop
drying so the over-dried grain on the bottom of the bin mixes with the wet grain at the top to achieve the
desired average moisture content after the bin has been unloaded.

Stirring devices are recommended to mix the grain during drying to achieve a uniform moisture content
when the drying air is heated more than 10 degrees F.

High-temperature, continuous-flow
For this method, the bin dryer removes dry grain from the bottom of the bin as it reaches the desired
moisture content. It is an efficient dryer, but the disadvantage is that the hottest air contacts the driest
grain, which can damage grain quality if excessive temperatures are used.

High-temp drying
High-temperature drying is effective during periods of high humidity and cold temperatures. Air that has a
very high relative humidity will have a very low relative humidity after it has been heated. Air that is 40
degrees F and 90% relative humidity will have a relative humidity of only 1% after being heated to 180
degrees. The energy required to heat air to 180 degrees from minus 20 degrees will be 1.4 times greater
than heating it from 40 degrees. The amount of energy required to heat the air can be calculated using
the formula: Btu/hr=cfm x 1.1 x temperature increase. Partial air recirculation should be considered on
corn dryers to reduce energy costs.

Germination rates drop rapidly as kernel temperatures exceed 120 degrees F. Therefore, maximum
recommended drying air temperature is 110 degrees F for seed. Maximum recommended drying air
temperature for commercial corn in the various types of dryers is: continuous flow and recirculating batch,
200 degrees; column batch, 180 degrees; and bin batch, 120 degrees. Consult the dryer manufacturer’s
drying temperature recommendations.

There is normally about a 40 degree difference between plenum air temperature and average kernel
temperature in a cross-flow dryer. Therefore, a 180-degree plenum temperature should be an acceptable
maximum recommended temperature for drying corn if the average kernel temperature should not exceed
140 degrees. Remember that corn moisture and temperature vary across a high-temperature drying
column.

Dyeration
Dryeration is the process of allowing hot grain from a high-temperature dryer to steep in a bin without
airflow for about six hours, followed by cooling, which removes about 0.25% of moisture for each 10
degrees F the grain is cooled.

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Grain must be moved to a storage bin to mix grain wet by condensation next to the bin wall and on the
top grain surface during steeping with dry grain.

Dryeration increases the drying rate about 60%, increases energy efficiency and reduces kernel stress
cracks.

Cooling grain in the bin increases drying rate about 30%. An airflow rate of 12 cfm per bushel per hour
cools the grain at the fill rate and is required to rapidly cool the grain to minimize condensation near the
bin wall. Condensation during cooling may be a problem unless the corn is cooled to 90-100 degrees F in
the dryer.

Select Drying Method on Cost, End-use

The University of Missouri Extension developed a few online tools to help in determining cost of drying
grain and finding extra storage options.

While market conditions can change rapidly, growers in the fall of 2014 experienced significantly lower
grain prices than those of just two years prior.

Low prices make it critical to keep costs and waste low, said Joe Zulovich, University of Missouri
Extension engineering specialist. Lower prices mean farmers must calculate whether and how to store
on- or off-farm, and the cost of drying
and transporting to a commercial
facility.

Leaving corn in the field is one way to

store corn, according to MU
Extension natural resource engineer
Frank Wideman and MU Extension
economist Ray Massey. Some
studies show minimal losses when
corn is left to stand in the field for
later harvest, Wideman says. In years
where corn crops are forecast to be
large and prices low, storing in the
field for a time may be an economical
choice.

According to Zulovich, if selecting an

on-farm storage option, there are several choices—conventional grain bins, storage bags or temporary
flat storage in modified buildings or well-maintained covered piles.

Some farmers plan to use machine sheds for temporary storage, but the sheds cannot hold grain safely
without being retrofitted with grain storage walls inside the building walls. Dry grain can be stored outside
within concrete blocks stacked no higher than three blocks. MU specialists advise providing a granular
base or concrete pad floor, and lining floor and walls with a 6-mil plastic vapor barrier if concerned about
moisture wicking into grain. Cover grain with a tarp. Concrete road barriers and commercial wall barriers
also may be used for outside storage walls. Temporary storage is best limited to two months when there
is no aeration.

Aerated covered piles in well-drained outside areas may allow grain to be stored up to six months. Keep
piles small, low and dry

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How Dry is Dry Enough?
If you have decided to wait until winter to market grain as many do, Purdue University Extension grain
specialist Klein Ileleji says you should dry it to 15% as it goes into final storage.

However, if you are intending to hold out for higher prices and longer storage, you may need to get it
drier. He recommends drying it to 14% if you think you may hold it an entire year.

Some people who hold old crop corn into harvest season can earn a premium when ethanol plants need
corn. However, farmers should watch the size of expected carryover as larger crops (as experienced in
2014) can negate the need to hold on to old-crop.

But, if you're really bearish and think you may have to keep corn in your bin more than a year for
marketing purposes, Ileleji recommends drying corn to below 14% all the way down to 13%. Part of the
reason for dropping moisture lower is to increase the odds that molds and insects won't have an
opportunity to grow inside the bin in corn that is held for longer term storage.

Even if you are just holding corn for delivery in January or February, make sure the corn is truly at the
moisture level you think it is before you quit aerating or drying. Double check moisture readings and be
sure you're compensating for temperature of the grain if your moisture meter doesn't do it automatically,
the specialist says.

How Fast Can You Expect Corn To Dry Down?

To bring corn down by about one percentage point of moisture, it takes 15 to 20 growing degree days or
GDD, says Gregg Brenneman, an Iowa State University Extension Ag Engineer. With normal weather you
can expect corn in early October to dry down about 0.5% to 0.75% per day. This rate will decrease in late
October to less than .33% per day.

Based on these drying rates, corn that

reached black layer stage maturity on
October 1 is expected to drop into the low
20% moisture range by late October and
will require additional drying for long-term
storage or sale.

Basic principles of in-field grain drying

When corn harvesting conditions allow
optimal time for in-field drying, taking full
advantage can reduce on-farm energy
consumption, according to Iowa State
University Extension ag engineer Mark
Hanna.

After corn is physiologically mature, a

black layer forms at the tip of the kernel,
preventing further exchange of nutrients
and water between the kernel and cob.
After black layer formation, temperature and relative humidity of surrounding air are the main contributors
to in-field drying. However, plant morphology also is important. A tight husk restricts air exchange with
corn kernels and controls how much of the ear tip is left exposed.

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How fast or slow can you expect corn grain to dry down on the stalk?
Limited field-drying data suggest daily drying rates may average 1.0% in mid-September, 0.7% in late
September and 0.5% in early October. More importantly, there is wide variation among seasons due to
weather conditions. Days early in the harvest season (e.g., the first week of October) with a strong, dry
wind and air temperatures in the mid-70 degrees F range can produce in-field drying of 1% per day.

Conversely, corn moisture content in the field can remain unchanged for periods of two weeks or longer if
weather is cold and wet. A plan for drying grain artificially is necessary during years with inadequate field
drying conditions. In addition, you
need to evaluate stalk strength
and standability of each field
before leaving the corn to dry in
the field late into the season.

Rate of dry down tied to air

temperature
Research shows that corn dry
down in the field is pretty steady,
and linear, from 40% down to
around 20%, then trails off to very
little field drying after that in most
years. The rate of dry down is
closely tied to air temperature.
The other big factor is when your
field hits "black layer" or
physiological maturity.

The fields that hit maturity in early September will generally dry faster than those that hit black layer mid-
to late-September. Numbers cited by agronomists indicate early maturing corn (Sept 1) will average .8%
loss of moisture per day, while corn maturing around Sept 20 will average a .4% loss per day. Here are
some other common rules of thumb for dry down by time frame rather than maturity date:

Date % loss per day

Sept 1-15 1%
Sept 16-30 .75%
Oct 1-15 .5-.75%
Oct 16-31 .25-.5%
November 0-.25%

What does it cost to dry corn?

Drying costs of $20 to $30 per acre may not be uncommon with corn yields of 100 bushels or more. Of
course, this is dependent on many variables, and the final drying costs may vary greatly from year to
year.

One of the first harvest decisions the producer must make that directly influences cost is what moisture
level at which to start harvesting. Most elevators will want corn near the 15% moisture level to be
considered dry. Corn delivered at higher moisture levels will be charged a drying fee and will also be
subject to a shrinkage discount.

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Drying charges will vary from elevator to elevator. Many can charge 4 to 5 cents per bushel per point of
moisture above 15%. Again, different elevators vary, but shrinkage discounts were generally 1.5% shrink
for each point of moisture above 15%. So, for example, if you hauled in corn at 19% moisture, you would
have a drying charge of 20 cents (4 points x 0.05) and would have a shrinkage discount of 6% (4 points x
1.5%).

On-farm drying should also be considered. Initially, on-farm drying may seem to be more economical than
commercial drying, but many factors have to be weighed. They include costs of storage and handling,
propane and electrical costs, and labor costs.

Another factor is matching the drying capacities of your system to harvest capacity. For example, if you
normally harvest 100 acres of 150-bushel corn daily, your drying system should have a capacity of 15,000
bushels per day.

On-farm drying systems vary greatly with different operations. Some rely on natural air drying where grain
bins are equipped with only full floors and fans with no artificial heat source. A number of on-farm drying
systems will add low-temperature electrical heat sources. The first portion of this paper provided more
information on types of drying.

When considering on-farm drying as an option in comparison to paying for commercial drying, consider
the initial setup costs and depreciation as well as the direct operational costs of the farm drying system.

Calculating on-farm vs. commercial drying costs

The following are calculations – on a per acre basis – of corn-drying costs.

Say the cost of drying a 180 bu. per acre corn crop is about $6 per acre per point of moisture for on-farm
drying. This is figuring 0.02 gallon of LP per point of grain moisture if LP costs are around $1.50 per
gallon. This also figures an electric cost of 0.02kWh per bushel per point of moisture with electric costs of
$0.15 KWh. This cost is energy only and does not include any fixed costs. Fixed costs would be the costs
of the bins, dryers, augers, etc. associated with on-farm drying systems.

The cost to commercially dry a 180 bu. per acre corn crop is about $6.40 per acre per point. This is based
on $0.035 per bushel per point drying cost and 1.5% shrink. The actual moisture loss shrink is 1.18% per
point of moisture, so there is some additional cost of the shrink factor if corn is harvested in the mid-20s
for moisture content.

With these calculations, the cost to dry the corn in your on-farm dryer would be about $30 per acre.

Multiplying 5 points of moisture removed by $6 per acre cost for drying on the farm, it figures out to $30.
Therefore, it is going to cost about $30 per acre to dry a 180 bu. per acre corn crop from 20% moisture to
15% moisture.

It is good advice to check each field for stalk quality and ear retention. Harvest on a timely basis if you
can prevent a 3 to 4 bu. per acre pre-harvest loss versus gaining an extra point of dry down in the field.

Final Tips For More Efficient Grain Drying

•Don't use natural air or low-temperature drying for corn with moisture contents of more than 21%.

•Cool corn to 20-25 degrees F when outdoor temperature average is near or below freezing. Finish drying
in early April.

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•Limit the corn depth to about 20 to 22 feet in bins to obtain the proper airflow rate for drying. An airflow
rate of 1 to 1.25 cubic feet per minute per bushel is necessary to dry the corn before deterioration occurs.

•Turn fans off during extended periods of rain, snow or fog to minimize the amount of moisture the fans
pull into the bin. Adding heat does not help dry wetter corn.

•If high-temperature drying, use the maximum drying temperature that will not damage the corn. That
increases the dryer's capacity (bushels dried per hour) and reduces energy use. Removing a pound of
water will require about 20% less energy at a drying air temperature of 200 degrees F than at 150
degrees F.

•To prevent corn from scorching or browning during drying, limit dryer temperatures. Temperature
reductions likely will need to vary for corn from field to field.

•Another way to reduce the heat damage potential is to dry corn to 20% moisture content instead of 15%.
Evaporative cooling still occurs at the higher moisture content, and the kernels will not be exposed to the
heat as long when corn is dried to the higher moisture content. This also reduces stress cracks and
kernel breakage.

•Use combination drying to reduce heat damage. Dry corn at 28% moisture content to 20% using a high-
temperature dryer and store it for the winter, then dry it to storage moisture in the spring using natural air
drying or a high-temperature dryer.

•Use in-storage instead of in-dryer cooling

to boost the capacity of high-temperature
dryers 20 to 40%, reduce the risk of stress
cracks and remove about 1 percentage
point of moisture. Start cooling immediately
after transferring the corn from the dryer to
the storage bin to reduce the condensation
potential. To further reduce condensation,
cool the corn to about 90 degrees F in the
dryer before placing it in storage.

•Remove debris that accumulates during

drying. It is more critical when outside air
temperatures are cold because
condensation can develop on the dryer,
creating a wet surface where debris can
collect. The debris may reduce airflow through the dryer, decreasing the dryer's capacity and creating a
fire hazard.

Prevent a Disaster in the Grain Bin

You may have decided on commercial storage, or moved forward with on-farm storage. But once you
move the corn to the bin, the last element of efficient grain handling is remembering that ensuring grain
quality can not only put money in your pocket, it can keep you safe.

There are two types of disasters that can happen inside grain bins. The worst possible is to have one
become stuck in grain and possibly suffocate. The second is to be forced to haul out moldy grain and sell
at a big loss or else dump it if it is in terrible condition.

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The two are linked. Doing a good job now can lessen the chances of having to get inside and because
there is spoiled chunks blocking the unloading auger opening when it's time to haul grain out.

Klein Ileleji, Purdue University Extension grain specialist, says the as grain comes in from the field, the
important thing is to dry it down to the proper level.

Some people are under the mistaken impression that if they put grain into a bin at 23% and run large
aeration fans to move air through the grain, as it cools down the grain will cool down, and they can keep it
until next winter. Some even believe it will come out at 15% after that process.

Ileleji says that isn't true. If you put 23% gain in a bin and don't dry it but do aerate it, you're likely going to
have spoiled grain when it's time to unload it. Spoiled grain often means clumps of grain, which means
blocked auger openings. That means a
temptation to enter the bin with an auger
running. That's worse than a bad idea – it's
setting the stage for a deadly mistake, he
notes.

Mountains don't belong in the grain bin

If you wind up with a miniature Mount Rainier
inside your grain bin, then you did something
wrong.

Fines in the middle of the bin can set up such

situations, especially if the grain is not dried or
cooled properly. Fines typically settle in the
middle of the bin. That's why it's important to
core a bin. If it's a big bin you may want to
core it more than once as you fill the bin.

Coring and taking out the center section with fines and broken kernels helps, but it still doesn't guarantee
that problems won't develop inside the grain mass. It takes careful monitoring to do that. If you don't have
sensors inside the bin then it may mean turning on fans at regular intervals and smelling the air that
comes out to make sure it doesn't smell moldy.

Simple, inexpensive safety techniques

If you do find yourself in a situation with clumped grain, never walk on or down the grain to make it flow,
says Karen Funkenbusch, University of Missouri Rural Safety and Health specialist.

Grain may become crusted on top and might look stable, but the "bridge" might be formed over a large air
pocket that will serve as a deadly tunnel in which a person can be sucked into and suffocated within
seconds.

It costs only seconds to think about safety. The cost for a few extra kilowatts is small; the savings are
priceless, she says.

One of the best investments farmers can make is using locks on bin doors and hatches to prevent
unauthorized access, using body harnesses with anchored lifelines if entering from a level at or above
stored grain, and first and foremost, always disconnect and lock out all power equipment such as augers
before entering bins.

10 | G r a i n H a n d l i n g & S t o r a g e T i p s
Lastly, she suggests having a trained observer outside the bin. This person can act as a contact with the
person inside the bin and can call for help if needed.

"Confirm that all safety precautions are in place," she said. "Always avoid entering a grain storage bin if at
all possible, but if you must, follow safe procedures. You can't afford not to," Funkenbusch said.

What If There is an Accident?

•Shut off all unloading equipment.
•Call 911.
•Stop anyone from entering the scene until
trained emergency personnel arrive.
•If the bin has an aeration blower, turn it on
to increase the airflow through the bin to
help the entrapped person breathe.
•Assemble equipment such as front-end
loaders, shovels, plywood for cofferdams
and portable augers for assistance with a
rescue.
•If you should become trapped in a grain
bin or silo, stay near the outer wall and
keep moving. If necessary, you can walk
until the bin is empty or the flow stops.

More safety tips when working with grain bins and silos:
•Stay out of the grain bin if possible.
•Never enter a grain bin when the unloading equipment is on, even if the grain isn't flowing.
•Never enter a grain bin alone. If entry into the bin is necessary, always have at least one observer
outside the bin, and make sure all augers are turned off. One person is to enter the bin and the others
should remain outside in case an emergency occurs. Always use a body harness with a lifeline secured to
the outside of the bin.
•Wear an N-95 respirator when working around the grain, as it keeps 95% of the dust and other pollutants
from the grain from entering into the worker's lungs.
•Don't enter a bin that has automatic unloading equipment without first locking out power to the
equipment.
•Be cautious around out-of-condition grain, including grain caked to walls. Dangers result from molds,
blocked flow, cavities, crusting and grain avalanches.
•Lock doors, gates and discharge chutes of any grain storage units.
•Keep kids out of grain wagons, carts and semi beds.
•Block ladders and egress points (for example a ladder guard) to limit kids' access.

Online Resources for Grain Storing and Drying Information

• Drying cost comparison. To compare the costs of drying options along with field dry-down, use the
ISU Ag Decision Maker tools: Estimating the Cost for Drying Corn; Grain Drying and Shrink Comparison

• Natural air drying. If you're drying with natural (unheated) air, the Natural bulletin from the University of
Minnesota is a great summary of concepts and management.

• Understanding airflow. If you need to estimate airflow in a bin from a given fan, or select a fan for a
new drying or aeration system, use this University of Minnesota website.

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• Reduce energy costs. If you're drying with heated air and want to save some fuel and energy, see
Managing High-Temperature Grain Dryers for Energy Efficiency, from Iowa State University.

• Handling and storage. Use these general resources for post-harvest handling, storage and drying of
crops from the University of Minnesota.

• Grain storage tips. View these great tips and rules-of-thumb for grain storage and drying from the
University of Minnesota.

• Estimate bin capacity. Need to estimate the bushel capacity of a bin? Try this online calculator from
Alberta Canada Agriculture and Rural Development.

• Estimate drying cots. Determine the cost of drying grain with this tool from the University of Missouri.

• Estimate energy costs. To estimate the moisture content to which grain can be dried with unheated
outdoor air, you need the equilibrium moisture content of the air, provided by Purdue University. (Table
located at the end of the report).

•Corn equilibrium moisture content

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