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Alton, Ia | We have a DMC (Continuous flow bin system), have had it for many years. Basically use the drying bin to warm up the corn, transfer it over at 18%/110F, drop it in a storage bin and finish cooling and drying. For a long time I always felt it was the most efficient system out there. For both bins, drying and storage, the air leaving the corn should be about 100% humidity, thus you are getting everything you can out of your propane and electric input. If you can manage it well, the system works well and does a good job.
Any stirrator system is less efficient from a energy use standpoint. As the bin gets dry, you are augering drier corn to the top, thus there is a significant period of time that the airflow is leaving unsaturated, and you wasted money. I know there are lots of them out there, but none on this farm and there never will be.
Having said all that, I am considering changing. As I watch what happens with the moisture in a DMC/Shivvers system, it is carried up the bin to be exhausted. Some of it condenses on the roof and walls, drops back down, and then has to be re-evaporated to get out. That is wasted energy. At .80 LP, not a big deal. At 2.00 LP, maybe more so. I may be better off having a cont. flow dryer, as soon as the moisture is pulled out of the corn, it exists through a screen, and poof, my problem is gone. I am going to track and observe closely what happens this fall, and do some pricing next spring.
If I do go stand alone drier, I believe I would go with a heat only unit. Heating up the corn, letting it steep, then slowly cooling it leads to the best grain quality. Recycling the heat from the cooling section is bringing in wet air. I'd rather start with dry cool air than warm wet air. But I may change my midn after more investigation.
Edited by Oliver1 10/14/2008 09:03
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corn dryers
