U.S. patent application number 13/099148 was filed with the patent office on 2011-12-15 for grain bin aeration duct.
Invention is credited to Don Assie.
Application Number | 20110306286 13/099148 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45096606 |
Filed Date | 2011-12-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110306286 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Assie; Don |
December 15, 2011 |
GRAIN BIN AERATION DUCT
Abstract
An aeration duct apparatus for a grain bin has an air chamber
with louvered side walls, which comprise a plurality of wall slats
that extend the length of the chamber and slope from inner side
edges thereof downward and outward to outer side edges thereof, and
are spaced apart to form air gaps between adjacent slats. The slats
prevent grain from flowing through the air gaps into the air
chamber. In one embodiment the outer side edge of each slat is
closer to a center of the air chamber than the outer side edge of
an adjacent slat below, and farther from the center than the outer
side edge of an adjacent slat above, such that the right and left
louvered side walls each slope inward toward the center of the air
chamber from lower edges thereof to upper edges thereof. The duct
is well suited to hopper bottom bins.
Inventors: |
Assie; Don; (St. Brieux,
CA) |
Family ID: |
45096606 |
Appl. No.: |
13/099148 |
Filed: |
May 2, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
454/175 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 88/742
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
454/175 |
International
Class: |
E04H 7/22 20060101
E04H007/22 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 15, 2010 |
CA |
2707941 |
Claims
1. An aeration duct apparatus for a grain bin, the apparatus
comprising: an air chamber with right and left louvered side walls,
end walls at opposite ends of the right and left louvered walls, a
closed top above the right and left louvered side walls, and an
open bottom; wherein the right and left louvered side walls each
comprise a plurality of wall slats extending substantially from one
end wall to the opposite end wall and sloping from inner side edges
thereof downward and outward to outer side edges thereof, and
spaced apart such that air gaps are formed between adjacent slats
but grain on an exterior of the air chamber is prevented from
flowing through the air gaps to an interior of the air chamber.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the outer side edge of each
slat is closer to a center of the air chamber than the outer side
edge of an adjacent slat below each slat, and farther from the
center of the air chamber than the outer side edge of an adjacent
slat above each slat, such that the right and left louvered side
walls each slope inward toward the center of the air chamber from
lower edges thereof to upper edges thereof.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the slats are configured such
that the outer side edge of a higher slat is vertically located
below the inner side edge of an adjacent slat below the higher
slat.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein a middle portion of each slat
is substantially flat and parallel to adjacent slats above and
below each slat.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein outer portions of each slat
bend downward, and wherein inner portions of each slat bend
upward.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the outer portions of each slat
are oriented substantially vertically.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the closed top of the air
chamber comprises a roof panel with right and left sides sloping
downward from a longitudinal axis thereof substantially parallel to
mid-portions of right and left top slats of the right and left
louvered walls such that air gaps are formed between the right and
left top slats and the right and left sides of the roof plate.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising substantially vertical right
and left lower side walls extending downward from corresponding
right and left louvered side walls, and a middle support comprising
a substantially vertical support plate attached at lower right and
left edges thereof to the right and left lower side walls and
having an upper portion configured to bear against bottom sides of
the slats and against the top of the air enclosure, and defining an
air passage in a central portion thereof.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an air conduit
having an output end in the interior of the air chamber, and an
input end adapted to be connected to an opening in a wall of a
grain bin.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the end walls define slots
that correspond to a cross section of the slats, and where ends of
the slats extend into the slots and are fastened to the end
walls.
11. A hopper bottom bin and aeration apparatus comprising: a cone
shaped floor with bin walls extending upward from a perimeter of
the cone shaped floor, and cone walls sloping downward from the
perimeter to a port at a bottom of the cone shaped floor; an air
chamber extending across the cone shaped floor between the
perimeter and the port; the air chamber comprising right and left
louvered side walls, end walls at opposite ends of the right and
left louvered walls adjacent to the cone walls, a closed top above
the right and left louvered side walls, and an open bottom; wherein
the right and left louvered side walls each comprise a plurality of
wall slats extending substantially from one end wall to the
opposite end wall and sloping from inner side edges thereof
downward and outward to outer side edges thereof, and spaced apart
such that air gaps are formed between adjacent slats; wherein the
slats are configured such that grain on an exterior of the air
chamber is prevented from flowing through the air gaps to an
interior of the air chamber.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the outer side edge of each
slat is closer to a center of the air chamber than the outer side
edge of an adjacent slat below each slat, and farther from the
center of the air chamber than the outer side edge of an adjacent
slat above each slat, such that the right and left louvered side
walls each slope inward toward the center of the air chamber from
lower edges thereof to upper edges thereof.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the slats are configured such
that the outer side edge of a higher slat is vertically located
below the inner side edge of an adjacent slat below the higher
slat.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein a middle portion of each slat
is substantially flat and parallel to adjacent slats above and
below each slat.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein outer portions of each slat
bend downward, and wherein inner portions of each slat bend
upward.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the outer portions of each
slat are oriented substantially vertically.
17. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the closed top of the air
chamber comprises a roof panel with right and left sides sloping
downward from a longitudinal axis thereof substantially parallel to
mid-portions of right and left top slats of the right and left
louvered walls such that air gaps are formed between the right and
left top slats and the right and left sides of the roof plate.
18. The apparatus of claim 11 comprising substantially vertical
right and left lower side walls extending downward from
corresponding right and left louvered side walls, and a middle
support comprising a substantially vertical support plate attached
at lower right and left edges thereof to the right and left lower
side walls and having an upper portion configured to bear against
bottom sides of the slats and against the top of the air enclosure,
and defining an air passage in a central portion thereof.
19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the upper portion of the
support plate is attached to the slats.
20. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising an air conduit
having an output end in the interior of the air chamber, and an
input end connected to an opening in a cone wall.
21. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the end walls define slots
that correspond to a cross section of the slats, and where ends of
the slats extend into the slots and are fastened to the end walls.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority to Canadian Patent
Application No. 2,707,941, filed Jun. 15, 2010, the disclosure of
which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] This invention is in the field of grain storage and aeration
bins and in particular an aeration duct that is well suited for
hopper bottom grain bins.
[0004] 2. Background
[0005] Aeration systems for grain bins include a perforated duct
located inside the bottom of a grain bin, and a fan directing air
into the duct, out through the perforations and up through the
grain and out through a vent in the roof of the bin. The fan is
sized to provide the desired airflow for the height and volume of
grain in the bin, and the duct area must be large enough to provide
sufficient perforations so that the desired volume of air can flow
through the perforations without developing excessive
back-pressure. Such an aeration system is disclosed for example in
U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,332 to Kallestad, et al.
[0006] In flat bottom bins the duct can be provided by a fully or
partially perforated floor with the fan directing the airstream
under the floor, or by a horizontal tube or the like with
perforated walls or network of tubes resting on the bin floor and
the fan directing the airstream into the tubes. The large
perforated area of a fully or partially perforated floor generally
provides a satisfactory air flow. Where tubes are used, a network
in a "Y" or "X" configuration will usually provide sufficient
perforated tube wall area for the required air flow.
[0007] The fully perforated is also beneficial as it is desirable
to have the air stream evenly distributed through the bottom of the
grain bin, so the air flows upward through the grain evenly across
the bin. Tube and like systems are generally less costly, and can
be easily placed after the bin is constructed, and air flow is
generally satisfactory across the bin for the purpose.
[0008] Hopper bottom bins have become popular since they are easily
cleaned out. These bins have a cone shaped floor with walls sloping
to a central discharge chute so that all the grain flows down the
walls to the chute, and no manual removal is required as in a flat
floor bin. Since the floor of a hopper bottom bin slopes it the
length of a horizontal tube network in the hopper is limited. To
provide added wall area, vertical tubes with concentric perforated
inner and outer walls are commonly used, such as the Rocket.TM.
vertical aeration systems sold by Edwards Grain Guard of
Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. These tubes extend upward in the
center of the bin, and air flows out the perforated sides and out
the open bottom and upward through the grain in the bin.
[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 7,568,297 to Pierson et al. discloses an
aeration duct for a hopper bottom bin that has a pyramid frame in
the center of the bin with legs attachable to the sloped floor of
the hopper bottom, and concave perforated walls attached to the
legs. An air stream is directed into the interior of the frame, and
moves out into the grain through the perforated walls.
[0010] Assie Industries of St. Brieux Saskatchewan Canada makes an
aeration duct for hopper bottom bins that comprises an enclosed box
with an open bottom that extends across the cone at the bottom of
the bin. Air is directed into the enclosure and then out the open
bottom along the length of the box and up through the grain.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] It is an object of the present invention to provide an
aeration duct, particularly suited for hopper bottom bins, that
overcomes problems in the prior art.
[0012] In a first embodiment the present invention provides an
aeration duct apparatus for a grain bin. The apparatus comprises an
air chamber with right and left louvered side walls, end walls at
opposite ends of the right and left louvered walls, a closed top
above the right and left louvered side walls, and an open bottom.
The right and left louvered side walls each comprise a plurality of
wall slats extending substantially from one end wall to the
opposite end wall and sloping from inner side edges thereof
downward and outward to outer side edges thereof, and spaced apart
such that air gaps are formed between adjacent slats. The slats are
configured such that grain on an exterior of the air chamber is
prevented from flowing through the air gaps to an interior of the
air chamber.
[0013] In a second embodiment the present invention provides a
hopper bottom bin and aeration apparatus comprising a cone shaped
floor with bin walls extending upward from a perimeter of the cone
shaped floor, and cone walls sloping downward from the perimeter to
a port at a bottom of the cone shaped floor. An air chamber extends
across the cone shaped floor between the perimeter and the port,
the air chamber comprising right and left louvered side walls, end
walls at opposite ends of the right and left louvered walls
adjacent to the cone walls, a closed top above the right and left
louvered side walls, and an open bottom. The right and left
louvered side walls each comprise a plurality of wall slats
extending substantially from one end wall to the opposite end wall
and sloping from inner side edges thereof downward and outward to
outer side edges thereof, and spaced apart such that air gaps are
formed between adjacent slats. The slats are configured such that
grain on an exterior of the air chamber is prevented from flowing
through the air gaps to an interior of the air chamber.
[0014] The invention provides an aeration duct apparatus with
reduced restriction to air flow and even air distribution across a
substantial portion of the width of a bin. The non-restrictive
airflow capabilities of the invention make it particularly suited
to use in hopper bottom bins.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] While the invention is claimed in the concluding portions
hereof, preferred embodiments are provided in the accompanying
detailed description which may be best understood in conjunction
with the accompanying diagrams where like parts in each of the
several diagrams are labeled with like numbers, and where:
[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an aeration
duct apparatus of the present invention for use in a grain bin;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the embodiment of FIG. 1
installed in a hopper bottom bin;
[0018] FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view of the sloped louvered
side walls of the air chamber of the embodiment of FIG. 1;
[0019] FIG. 4 is a schematic top view looking down on the
embodiment of FIG. 1 installed in the hopper bottom bin as in FIG.
2;
[0020] FIG. 5 is a schematic exploded view showing a convenient
construction of the air chamber of the embodiment of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS
[0021] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an embodiment of an aeration
duct apparatus 1 of the present invention for a grain bin. While it
is contemplated that the apparatus 1 could be used in a flat bottom
grain bin its high air flow capabilities make it particularly
suited to reducing restriction to air flow in the more confined
quarters of a hopper bottom bin. A typical hopper bottom bin 3 is
schematically illustrated in FIG. 2 with the aeration duct
apparatus 1 installed. The hopper bottom bin 3 has a cone shaped
floor 5 with bin walls 7 extending upward from a perimeter 9 of the
floor 5 and cone walls 11 sloping downward from the perimeter 9 to
a port 13 at a bottom of the cone shaped floor 5 where grain is
drawn out of the bin 3.
[0022] The apparatus 1 comprises an air chamber 15 extending across
the cone shaped floor 5 between the perimeter 9 and the port 13. An
air conduit 17 has an output end 19 in the interior of the air
chamber 15, and an input end 21 connected to an opening in the cone
wall 11. In use a fan 23 is connected to input end 21 and directs
an air stream through the air conduit 17 into the interior of the
air chamber 15.
[0023] The air chamber 15 comprises right and left louvered side
walls 25, end walls 27 at opposite ends of the right and left
louvered walls 25 adjacent to the cone walls 11, a closed top 29
above the right and left louvered side walls 25, and an open bottom
31. In the illustrated air chamber 15, substantially vertical right
and left lower side walls 26 extend downward from corresponding
right and left louvered side walls 25 and serve to contain the air
stream received through the conduit 17 and distribute same along
the length of the air chamber 15.
[0024] The louvered side walls 25 comprise a plurality of wall
slats 33 extending substantially from one end wall 27 to the
opposite end wall 27 and sloping from inner side edges 33A thereof
downward and outward to outer side edges 33B thereof, as
schematically illustrated in FIG. 3. The slats 33 are spaced apart
such that air gaps 35 are formed between adjacent slats 33 and
configured such that grain 37 on an exterior 39 of the air chamber
15 is prevented from flowing through the air gaps 35 to an interior
41 of the air chamber 15. The slats 33 are configured such that the
outer side edge 33B of a higher slat 33' is vertically located
below the inner side edge 33A of an adjacent slat 33'' below the
higher slat 33'. Since grain does not flow uphill, the grain 37
cannot flow through the air gaps 35 into the interior 41 of the air
chamber 15, but air can flow readily out into the grain. Air also
moves out of the air chamber 15 through the open bottom 31
thereof.
[0025] While it is contemplated that the louvered side walls 25
could be substantially vertical, the illustrated air chamber 15 is
configured to more evenly distribute the air coming out of the air
gaps across the width of the air chamber 15 and so more evenly
distribute the air to the grain above the air chamber 15. The outer
side edge 33B of each slat 33 is closer to a center C of the air
chamber 15 than the outer side edge of an adjacent slat 33 below
each slat, and farther from the center C of the air chamber 15 than
the outer side edge 33B of an adjacent slat 33 above each slat,
such that the right and left louvered side walls 25 each slope
inward toward the center C of the air chamber 15 from lower edges
43 thereof to upper edges 45 thereof.
[0026] A top view looking down at the apparatus 1 installed in a
hopper bottom bin 3 is schematically illustrated in FIG. 4. The
sloped louvered side walls 25 of the air chamber 15 provide a
plurality of air gaps along the length and across the width of the
air chamber 15. The air gaps 35 are relatively large compared to
the total open area of the perforations in commonly used perforated
ducts that are sometimes placed in about the same orientation as
the illustrated air chamber 15. Restriction to air flow is
significantly reduced and high air flows are possible. The airflow,
indicated by the arrows 47, is distributed across a significant
width of the bin 3 as is generally desirable.
[0027] A convenient construction for the air chamber 15 is
illustrated in the schematic exploded end view of FIG. 5. The end
walls 27 define slots 51 that correspond to a cross section of the
slats 33, and the ends of the slats 33 extend into the slots 51 and
are fastened to the end walls 25 by welding or the like. The end
walls 27 are illustrated as solid with no perforations but it is
contemplated that perforations could be provided if desired.
[0028] Looking at the cross section of the slat 33, the middle
portion 53 of each slat 33 is substantially flat and parallel to
adjacent slats 33 above and below each slat 33, providing a smooth
air gap. Outer portions 55 of each slat 33 bend downward to a
substantially vertical orientation following the vertical edge 57
of the end wall 27, and inner portions 59 of each slat bend upward
and hook into the slot 51 so it does not slide down and out of the
slot 51 during assembly. The downward and upward bends also move
the outer side edge 33B of each slat down below the inner side edge
33A of the slat below so grain is prevented from flowing through
the air gap 15 into the interior of the air chamber.
[0029] The closed top 29 of the air chamber comprises a roof panel
61 with right and left sides 61R, 61L sloping downward from a
longitudinal axis LA thereof substantially parallel to mid-portions
53 of right and left top slats 33T of the right and left louvered
walls 25 such that air gaps are formed between the right and left
top slats 33T and the right and left sides 61R, 61L of the roof
plate 61. The vertical right and left lower side walls 26 are
provided by a panel 63 that has a top portion 65 configured the
same as the slats 33, and a lower portion 67 that extends downward
from corresponding right and left louvered side walls 25 along the
outer edge 69 of the end wall 27. Thus an air gap is provided
between the top portion of the panel 63 and the slat just above
it.
[0030] Since the air chamber 15 is quite long, typically about 12
feet long, middle support are provided to support the relatively
thin slats 33 and roof panel 61. The supports comprise a
substantially vertical support plate 71 attached at lower right and
left edges 71R, 71L thereof to the right and left lower side walls
26, typically by welding, and having an upper portion 73 configured
to bear against bottom sides of the slats 33 and against the top of
the air enclosure, roof panel 61. The support plate 71 defines a
large air passage 75 in a central portion thereof to allow air to
flow freely through the assembled air chamber. The support plate is
inserted as indicated by the arrow up into the open bottom of the
air chamber once the slats 33 and roof panel 61 are assembled, and
then the upper portion 73 of the support plate 71 is attached to
the slats 33 and roof panel 61 by welding or the like.
[0031] In the illustrated apparatus 1, the parts are conveniently
joined together by welding however it is contemplated that a bolted
together configuration could be used so that the apparatus could be
collapsed into a more convenient form for shipping from a factory,
and then assembled at the use location.
[0032] The invention thus provides an aeration duct apparatus for a
hopper bottom bin with reduced restriction to air flow and even air
distribution across a substantial portion of the width of the
bin.
[0033] The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the
principles of the invention. Further, since numerous changes and
modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is
not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and
operation shown and described, and accordingly, all such suitable
changes or modifications in structure or operation which may be
resorted to are intended to fall within the scope of the claimed
invention.
* * * * *