Introduction
In modern agriculture and grain storage and transportation systems, silos have become important facilities for global grain storage due to their efficient and intensive storage advantages. Many people simply believe that as long as the grain is sealed and stored in silos, its safety can be ensured once and for all. However, reality has dealt a heavy blow to this one-sided cognition. According to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the world’s annual grain losses due to improper storage conditions are as high as 130 million tons, and the economic losses exceed 100 billion US dollars. These shocking data show that under improper storage conditions, grain is very likely to rot and deteriorate, which not only causes huge economic losses, but also poses a serious threat to global food security. This article will deeply analyze the reasons why grain rots in silos and provide systematic solutions to prevent rot, in order to provide scientific guidance for the grain storage industry.
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Why does grain rot in silos?
1. Humidity: the “culprit” of rot
The moisture content of the grain itself is the key factor in determining whether it can be stored safely. When the moisture content of grain exceeds 14%, it is like building a “hotbed” for mold growth. In a suitable humidity environment, mold can reproduce rapidly and secrete various enzyme substances to decompose nutrients such as protein and carbohydrates in grain, causing grain to mold and deteriorate.
Condensation inside the silo is also an important cause of “wet spots”. When the temperature difference between day and night is large or the seasons change, the temperature of the inner wall of the silo is low. When the warm and humid air in the silo is cooled, the water vapor will condense on the inner wall and top of the silo, forming a local high humidity area. Once these “wet spots” are formed, the surrounding grain will absorb moisture, and the humidity will further increase, thereby accelerating the decay process.
High humidity can also cause grain agglomeration and bridging. The agglomerated grain particles stick to each other to form lumps, which seriously affect their fluidity. During the loading and unloading and transportation of grain, the agglomerated grain may block the transportation pipeline, reduce operating efficiency, and even damage equipment. The bridging phenomenon will prevent the grain in the silo from flowing out smoothly, affecting normal storage operations.
2. Improper temperature management
High temperature environment is a “catalyst” for the growth of mold and insects. When the temperature in the silo exceeds 25°C, the growth rate of mold will be significantly accelerated, and at the same time, stored grain pests such as corn weevils and grain borers will become more active. These pests will not only directly eat the grain, reducing the quality and weight of the grain, but also excrete feces in the grain, bringing in moisture and pollution sources, further accelerating the decay of the grain.
Moisture migration caused by temperature difference should also not be ignored. When there is a large temperature difference between the inside and outside of the silo, the moisture in the grain in the silo will migrate from the higher temperature area to the lower temperature area, thereby forming a local moisture accumulation phenomenon. For example, during the daytime in summer, the temperature of the grain on the outer layer of the silo rises, and the moisture will gradually migrate to the low temperature area in the center of the silo; at night, the temperature of the outer layer of the silo drops, and the moisture will migrate in the opposite direction. This repeated moisture migration causes the humidity of the grain in the local area to change continuously, creating favorable conditions for mold growth.
3. Ventilation and airflow issues
The ventilation system is essential for grain storage in silos. Lack of ventilation will cause the heat and moisture in the silo to be unable to be discharged in time, forming a hot and humid environment, which is undoubtedly a “hotbed” for grain rot. In addition, uneven air flow is also an important cause of local deterioration. In some large silos, due to unreasonable layout of ventilation ducts or insufficient fan power, air cannot flow evenly through the entire silo, resulting in good ventilation in some areas and poor ventilation in some areas. Heat and moisture accumulate in poorly ventilated areas, and grain is prone to rot.
4. Pests and pollution
Pests damage grain in many ways. They not only feed directly on grain, but also dig tunnels in grain, destroy the organizational structure of grain, and reduce the quality of grain. At the same time, pests excrete feces and secrete body fluids during their activities, which will bring in moisture and various microorganisms, causing grain to mold.
The remaining grain and foreign matter from the previous batch are also important factors that bring hidden dangers of mold and pests. After the silo is emptied, if it is not thoroughly cleaned, the remaining grain and foreign matter may carry a large number of mold spores and pest eggs. When new grain is stored in the silo, these molds and pests will multiply rapidly, infect the new grain, and cause the grain to rot.
How to prevent grain from rotting in the silo?
1. Accurate temperature control technology
Installing electronic sensors is the basis for achieving accurate temperature control. At present, high-precision electronic sensors on the market can monitor the temperature at different heights and different positions inside the silo in real time, with an accuracy of ±0.5°C. These sensors transmit temperature data to the monitoring center in real time through wireless or wired transmission. The monitoring personnel can check the temperature changes in the silo at any time through a computer or mobile phone APP.
Using an air cooling system to keep the grain temperature below 15°C is the key to inhibiting grain respiration and pests. The air cooling system removes the heat in the silo through forced air circulation, thereby reducing the grain temperature. The role of the air cooling system is particularly important in the hot summer season. At this time, it is necessary to strengthen the inspection of the vents to ensure that the vents are unobstructed, and at the same time adjust the operating parameters of the air cooling system in time according to temperature changes to ensure that the grain temperature is always within a safe range.
2. Scientific humidity management and ventilation system
Establishing an industrialized air supply system is an important means to achieve intelligent ventilation. The industrialized air supply system adopts an advanced intelligent control system, which can automatically adjust the air supply volume and air supply time according to the humidity, temperature and external weather conditions in the silo. For example, when the humidity in the silo is high, the system will automatically increase the air supply to speed up the discharge of moisture; when the humidity of the external air is high, the system will suspend ventilation to prevent external moisture from entering the silo.
Implementing grain “storage” treatment is an effective way to break up the hot spot area. “Storage” is to transfer the grain in the silo from one silo to another. During the transfer process, the agglomerated grain is broken up, and the heat and moisture in the hot spot area can be dissipated. Regular “storage” treatment can effectively prevent the local area of grain from rotting due to heat and moisture accumulation.
Using the data platform to monitor external weather and humidity changes can provide a scientific basis for the adjustment of ventilation strategies. The data platform integrates weather forecast data from the meteorological department, surrounding environment monitoring data, and temperature and humidity data inside the silo. Through the data analysis model, the system can predict weather changes and humidity trends in the future, so as to adjust the ventilation strategy in advance and ensure that the environment in the silo is always suitable for grain storage.
3. Advanced silo cleaning equipment and services
The use of spark-free cleaning equipment is an important measure to restore the storage capacity and prevent the spread of mildew. Avoid safety accidents such as dust explosions caused by sparks. The equipment can penetrate into the silo, clean up the residual grain and lumps attached to the inner wall and bottom of the silo, restore the effective storage capacity of the silo, and prevent the spread of mildew into the new grain.
The introduction of carbon dioxide jet technology can effectively deal with stubborn lumps. Carbon dioxide is ejected in gaseous form under high pressure, expands and absorbs heat instantly, so that the temperature of the lumped grain is rapidly reduced and the structure becomes loose, thereby achieving the purpose of breaking the lumps. This technology not only has a good cleaning effect, but also does not cause pollution to the grain. It is a green and environmentally friendly cleaning method.
Outsourcing professional cleaning services can avoid safety accidents and production line shutdowns. The professional cleaning team has rich experience and professional equipment, and can efficiently complete the silo cleaning work under the premise of ensuring safety. Compared with the company’s own cleaning, outsourcing professional services can greatly shorten the cleaning time and reduce the loss of production line shutdown caused by cleaning work.
4. Silo automatic monitoring and intelligent management system
The application of “grain condition detection and analysis system” is the core of realizing remote real-time supervision. The system integrates a variety of equipment such as temperature and humidity sensors, pest monitoring sensors, and gas composition sensors, which can monitor the grain condition information in the silo in real time. Through the Internet of Things technology, these data can be transmitted to the cloud server in real time, and managers can view the real-time situation in the silo through mobile phone APP or computer client no matter where they are.
The software automatically controls dehumidification, ventilation, and cooling equipment to realize the intelligent storage management. The system automatically determines whether the environment in the silo is suitable for grain storage based on preset parameters and real-time monitoring data. When the environmental parameters exceed the safe range, the system will automatically start the corresponding equipment, such as turning on the dehumidifier to reduce humidity, starting the ventilation equipment for ventilation, and turning on the cooling equipment to reduce the grain temperature, etc., to ensure that the environment in the silo is always in the best state.
All data are archived and traceable, providing strong support for decision optimization. The system will store all the monitored data for a long time to form a complete grain data archive. Through data analysis, managers can understand the changing rules in the grain storage process, summarize experience and lessons, and optimize storage management strategies. For example, by analyzing the temperature and humidity changes in different seasons and different grain categories, the operating parameters of ventilation, cooling and other equipment can be adjusted to improve storage management efficiency.
5. Insecticide and mildew prevention
Using aluminum phosphide tablets to release phosphine gas is a commonly used insecticide method. When aluminum phosphide tablets encounter water or moisture in the air, they will quickly decompose to produce phosphine gas. Phosphine gas is highly toxic and can inhibit the respiration of pests, causing the death of pests. When using aluminum phosphide tablets, it is necessary to strictly follow the operating procedures to ensure that the agent is evenly distributed in the silo to achieve the best insecticide effect.
Forced airflow to evenly spread the agent is the key to improving insecticide efficiency. By setting up a forced ventilation system in the silo, phosphine gas is evenly transported to every corner of the silo to avoid dead corners for insecticide. At the same time, forced airflow can also accelerate the diffusion speed of the agent, shorten the insecticide time, and improve the insecticide efficiency.
Strict compliance with agricultural residue standards is a prerequisite for ensuring the safety of humans and animals. When using gas conditioning technology for insecticide and mildew prevention, the dosage and residue of the agent must be strictly controlled. my country has clear standard regulations on the residue of agents such as phosphine in grain. Warehousing enterprises need to regularly test grain during use to ensure that the residue of the agent meets national standards to avoid harm to human and animal health.
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Once rotten, how much loss will there be?
Once grain is contaminated by mold, it will produce a variety of harmful substances, among which aflatoxin and ochratoxin are particularly serious. Aflatoxin is a strong carcinogen. After being ingested by humans and animals, it will cause serious damage to organs such as the liver, and even cause cancer. Ochratoxin is nephrotoxic and immunotoxic, and long-term ingestion will lead to renal failure and decreased immunity.
Toxin pollution not only threatens the health of humans and animals, but also triggers large-scale product recalls. In recent years, product recalls due to excessive mycotoxins in grains and grain products have become common at home and abroad. These incidents have not only caused huge economic losses to companies, but also seriously damaged their reputation and brand image.
In the United States, agricultural losses caused by mycotoxins are as high as $5 billion each year. This figure covers losses in many aspects such as reduced grain production, deterioration in quality, product recalls, and compensation. It can be seen that the economic impact of grain rotting and deterioration in silos is huge and must be given enough attention.
Which types of grain are more perishable?
Due to their own physical and chemical properties, by-products such as soybean meal, DDGs (dry distiller’s grains and solubles), and wheat bran are particularly prone to rotting due to moisture and dust agglomeration. These by-products have small particles and large specific surface areas, and are easy to absorb moisture in the air. They also have high dust content and are easy to form agglomerates during storage, resulting in internal heat and moisture accumulation, which accelerates the rotting process.
Whole grains will also deteriorate in high temperature and high humidity environments. For example, in an environment where the temperature exceeds 30°C and the humidity exceeds 70%, the respiration of corn and wheat will be significantly enhanced, and the self-heating will be aggravated, thus causing mildew. Therefore, during the storage process, specific storage parameters should be set for different categories, such as temperature and humidity control range, to ensure the safe storage of grain.
Conclusion
Storing grain in silos is not as people imagine, “just put it in and it’s fine”. It is a complex process that requires high professional knowledge and refined management. Comprehensive management from the four key aspects of temperature, humidity, pests, and ventilation is the core to ensure the long-term safe storage of grain. With the help of modern monitoring systems, we can grasp the grain information in the silo in real time; using advanced cleaning technology and intelligent management measures, we can effectively reduce grain losses and improve the efficiency of grain silo operations. In today’s increasingly severe global food security situation, only by continuously strengthening scientific and technological innovation and improving the level of storage management can we truly build a solid line of defense for food security and provide solid material guarantees for the stability and development of human society.