Accessories for Grain Dryers

Depending on the grain dryer a number of accessories are necessary for proper operation. Therefore, it is often more appropriate to talk of a ‘drying system’ which, besides the dryer itself, contains the necessary accessories.

Paddy Pre-cleaner

As noted earlier, fines in rice create dust during the loading and drying process and reduce air flow through the rice grain. Pre-cleaners are indispensable in many drying systems. Pre-cleaners usually consist of a scalper that lets through the grain but retains straw and a smaller second screen that removes small stones and other impurities. An air aspirator will suck out dust and light empty grains.

Moisture meter

Keeping track of grain moisture content during drying is crucial to properly dry grain; that is, to avoid over drying or incomplete drying.

A low cost version of a moisture tester for decision making in on-farm postharvest management is the IRRI moisture tester

Conveyors and Elevator

Using conveyors and elevators for horizontal and vertical transport of grains to load, circulate or discharge grains will improve the efficiency of the drying operation and reduce labor costs. Elevators should be properly sized so that they match the capacity of the dryer.

Dust collection system

As noted earlier, grain handling will create dust, making working around a grain drying hazardous. Efficient dust collection systems should be installed around the dryer to remove dust in and around the dryer. The conventional system for dust collection of grain is the cyclone. As with other accessories, fan and cyclone need to be properly sized dependent on the dryer specifications.