Numerical solutions of temperature and moisture in the grain mass aeration process
摘要
The grain aeration process within silos is an essential operation for grain storage management, focusing on the control of temperature and moisture content of the stored grain mass. While thermal dynamics are frequently modeled, a research gap exists concerning more comprehensive analyses of moisture content behavior and investigations into the role of independent variables governing the distribution of both properties throughout the entire silo. This study provides a numerical analysis of the spatio-temporal dynamics of temperature and moisture content during aeration, aiming to establish an understanding of their distribution throughout the silo, with particular emphasis on moisture analysis. The one-dimensional mathematical model proposed by Thorpe was adopted. Numerical solutions were obtained using the finite difference method with a fully explicit upwind difference scheme. Model parameters were aligned with experimental data to enable robust validation of the temperature results and subsequent code verification. Findings reveal the existence of two unidirectional fronts, one of drying and another of rehumidification, and, while thermal equilibrium is achieved relatively quickly, moisture content exhibits a significantly slower and more complex stabilization, requiring approximately five times longer to reach equilibrium. Furthermore, the aeration process was observed to cause a slight drying effect, a loss of moisture content of about 2.8%. This paper underscores the critical importance of considering both temperature and moisture dynamics for effective grain storage management, offering a reliable framework for optimizing aeration strategies in practical applications.