Food Grain Storage Structures: Agricultural Structures and Environmental Control BTAP3105
Food Grain Storage Structures: Agricultural Structures and Environmental Control BTAP3105
ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL
BTAP3105
Causes of
spoilage
Bacteria can also The major factors
cause spoilage of involved in the spoilage
of grains by molds are
cereals but yeast moisture level, physical
cause few damage &
spoilage problems. temperature .
Low-moisture foods are those with water
activity(a )levels lower than 0.70(Blessington
w
et al.,2012).
Such foods include products which have
undergone a lethality step , those that are not
subjected to an inactivated step, and those in
which ingredients are added after an
WATER ACTIVITY inactivation step.
FOR LOW & HIGH Low-acid canned foods can be preserved by
controlling water activity at levels above 0.85.
MOISTURE FOOD The minimum aw level for the growth of c.
botulinum is approximately 0.93.
Water activity is usually controlled by the use of
salt or sugar.
The water activity isotherm is a curve of the
equilibrium moisture content versus the water
activity.
The main limit is it often leads to loss nutrients
and changes the organoleptic properties of
food that is flavour or taste or colour .
Dried food does not taste the same as fresh food
does.
Moisture can cause dried foods left in the food in
ITS LIMITS FOR the drying process or allowed in during storage
can cause mold on food.
STORAGE Overly dried fruits, vegetables and meats can be
exceptionally hard, often to the point where
they do not soften.
Moisture & temperature changes in stored grains
air movement inside the storage.
The migration of moisture in stored grain takes
place due to change in temperature as per
season i.e. winter & summer.
MOISTURE AND
One of the most important factors influencing
TEMPERATURES storage life of the grain is moisture content.
CHANGES IN Also load due to any accessories like air ducts,
GRAIN BINS temperature cables etc, should be considered.
The silos or bins are considered of two types: shallow and deep
bin.
A shallow bin is one in which the plane of rupture meets the
grain surface at the top of the filling before it strikes the
opposite wall.
Also a bin where the depth is smaller than 4times of its
hydraulic radius can be considered as shallow bin.
A deep is the one in which the plane of rupture meets the
opposite side of the wall before it strikes the grain surface.
Also a bin is considered deep if its depth is greater than 4times
its hydraulic radius.
DESIGN OF GRAIN STORAGE
STRUCTURES
Proper design of the storage is not only to restrain and
properly hold the material but also to minimize the
damage to the grain due to moisture condensation or
excess temperatures.
The storage unit must be so designed as to withstand the
change in pressures during loading and unloading.
The several aspects to be considered in a storage design are
types and quantities of grain to be stored, location, size
and number of bins, handling equipment and methods,
structural requirements, conditioning methods and
requirements and plans for future use and expansion.
CONVENTIONAL OR TRADITIONAL
STORAGE STRUCTURES
Underground storage
Straw storage
Bamboo storage
Wooden storage
Mud Storage
Gunny storage
Metal bin storage
Advantage:-
• It is cheap and economical.
• Storages are well known to farmers/agricultural
laborers/villageartisans.
• Storage keeps cooking qualities of the grains.
Disadvantages:-
• Most of the structures are not rat proof, insect proof & moisture proof.
• Straw roped structures, bamboo/reed storage, wooden structures & bags
are not fire proof.
• Bags need frequent replacement.
CONVENTIONAL
STRUCTURES
Bukhari type storage structure
Morai type storage structure
Kothar type storage structure
Metal or plastic drums
BUKHARI STORAGE
It is cylindrical in shape.
Its capacity ranges from 3.5 to 18 tonnes.
It is elevated on a wood or masonary platform.
The structure is held with timber posts which are fixed in the ground,
extending up to full height of the wall.
Its floor is either made of timber planks or bamboo planks plastered with
mud mixed with cow dung and paddy straw.
Its walls are timber or bamboo framework and bamboo matting, over
which mud straw plaster is applied on both the surfaces.
Roof is cone type generally made of bamboo or timber framework to
protect the grains from sun and rain.
These structures are elevated up to 1.5 m above the
ground by four timber or masonry pillars.
Opening for filling is provided 15 cm below the top
edge of the wall and emptying opening is provided
at the floor level.
These openings are closed and mud plastered after
filling the structures.
Rat proofing cones are provided at four pillars to
avoid damage by rats.
This type of structure are used for storage of paddy,
wheat, gram, maize and sorghum.
MORAI STORAGE
This structure is widely used in eastern and southern parts
of the country.
Paddy, maize and sorghum are generally stored.
The shape of the structure is like an inverted truncated cone
elevated by wooden or masonry pillars.
The floor is made by wooden planks and surrounded by 22
gauge corrugated metal cylinder of 90cm height with
nailing on floor timber. The edge of the cylinder is
flushed with the bottom end of the floor.
75 mm dia ropes made up of paddy straw or similar
materials are placed inside the cylinder starting from the
floor level to full height of 90cm.
The bamboo splits are placed vertically along the inner surface
without leaving any gap between them.
The height of the bamboo split is equal to the height of the structure to
store the desired amount of grain.
Keeping the bamboo splits in position the grains are filled upto the
cylinder height and then the bamboo splits are held straight and
continuous filling of grain and winding of the rope goes on
simultaneously.
To provide a smooth surface about 1 cm thick layer of mud plaster is
applied over the rope.
A conical roof with an ample overhang is placed.
Rat proofing cones are also provided 1.5 m above on all the four
pillars to avoid damage by rats.
KOTHAR STORAGE
It is common in northern part of the country and is used to
store paddy, maize, sorghum, wheat and barley.
The capacity ranges from 9 to 35 tonnes.
It is a wooden box type structure elevated from the ground
by pillars.
The roof is tilted and can be made of planks or corrugated
metal sheets with sufficient overhang on all sides.
The structure is raised on timber pillars 1.5 cm above the
ground level with rat proofing cones.
IMPROVED STRUCTURES
Pusa bin
Metal silos
Cover and plith storage
Pucca kothi
Hollow brick storage structure
Reinforced brick masonry bin
Partly underground and partly above ground bin
PUSA BIN
It is developed by IARI.
It is rectangular in shape and has a capacity of 1 to 3 tonnes.
The bin is constructed on a hard surface to prevent rodent attack. If the
surface is not hard, a platform of burnt bricks is built. The black LDPE
film (700 gauge) is spread over the platform, extending 60 mm from all
four sides. Another platform of unburnt bricks is constructed over the
LDPE layer. The inside wall is built to the required height, depending
on the capacity of the structure. The surface of the wall is plastered
with mud. A wooden frame with two poles is prepared and is placed at
the top of the inner wall to support the roof. A small hole, 90 mm in
diameter, is cut at the bottom in the middle of the front wall for delivery
of the grain. A mud slab, 50 mm thick, is placed over the raised inner
wall to serve as a roof, leaving a manhole of dimensions 500 x 500 mm
at one corner. The structure is then plastered with mud on top and on all
four sides, and is left to dry well. An LDPE film cover of 700 gauge
black sheet made in the form of a mosquito net is then placed over the
dried structure.
At this stage, a pouch made out of galvanised iron or plastic pipe 90
mm in diameter with a cap, is fitted into the delivery hole. The
LDPE cover is pulled down to meet the extending portion of the
earlier layer on the platform. The edges of both the films are heat
sealed. Asmall hole is cut in the LDPE cover to accommodate the
exit pouch and the pouch is pulled out through this hole. A little
soft wax is applied around the pouch touching the LDPE film to
make the portion completely airtight. The LDPE film covering the
manhole is cut diagonally.
The outer wall of the structure is erected using burnt bricks up to 450
mm and unburnt bricks for the rest of the portion. Alternatively, a
band of metal is provided at 450 mm to make it rodent proof. The
whole structure is again plastered with mud on top as well as on
all four sides and allowed to dry before use.
After filling the structure with grain, the diagonal cut on the film
covering the manhole is sealed with adhesive tape and the
manhole is plugged with mud. For efficient performance, the Pusa
bin is used only after it is completely dried and filled completely
so that minimum free space is left.
COVER AND PLINTH(CAP) STORAGE
This is an improvised arrangement for storing food grains in the open, generally
on a plinth which is damp- and rat-proof. The grain bags are stacked in a
standard size on wooden dunnage.
The stacks are covered with 250 micron LDPE sheets from the top and all four
sides.
Food grains such as wheel, maize, gram, paddy, and sorghum are generally
stored in CAP (cover and plinth) storage for 6-12 month periods.
It is the most economical storage structure and is being widely used by the FCI
for bagged grains.
This has been developed by the Food Corporation of India. It involves the
construction of brick pillars to a height of 14" from the ground with grooves
into which wooden crates are fixed and embedded with a polythene sheet.
The structure can be fabricated in less than 3 weeks.
It is an economical way of storage on a large scale.
METAL SILOS
It can store over 25 tonnes.
It is economically valid for large scale storage and not
preferred for small scale storage.
Such silos are made of smooth or corrugated
galvanized metal and are cylindrical in shape with
flat top.
It is placed on platforms or plinths, to facilitate
emptying.
In large storage structures bitumen layer or cement
mortar layer is plastered to prevent penetration by
water and pests.
HERMETIC STORAGE
(Hermetic means there is no contact with the outside air)
Hermetically, or sealed, storage systems put grain in an airtight
container such as a drum or a plastic bag. This stops air and water
getting in to the stored grain from outside.
Once the container is hermetically sealed,
The moisture content of the grain will be controlled. So it reduces pest
damage without using pesticides.
Depending on the number of insects, and type and size of the system,
oxygen levels will be reduced from 21% to less than 10%within a
short period of time. At oxygen levels below 10%, insects are
curtailed and the viability of seed ensured. Since it minimizes
biological activity inside the storage, container hermetic storage also
helps maintain grain quality and seed viability.
Popular in tropical regions these systems vary in size from 3 kilograms
to 300 tons.
Temperature
and moisture
changes during
storage