Combining grain chillers for a flexible solution

Tynegrain Storage

The Tynegrain plant is located at Tyne Dock in South Shields, north east England. Managed by drying and storage co-operative GrainCo, the plant has a capacity of 76,000 tonnes, mostly made up of wheat, barley, oilseed rape and oats.

About 40,000 tonnes of storage is provided by ventilated flat floors with a further 36,000 tonnes are in round silos. Each year the facility exports, on average, 200,000 tonnes worldwide.

...with mild, damp winters the cooling units are a god send as they give total peace of mind

Richard Mudd, Store Manager

One central grain chilling unit for 12 round silos

In 2008 GrainCo invested in a GRANIFRIGOR™ KK 400 AHY grain chilling unit. It is positioned centrally and ducted to 12 round silos each with a 1,500 tonne capacity. The grain comes from the driers, into these silos for cooling and then on to the final storage location. Store Manager, Richard Mudd says, “at harvest each silo is normally cooled for one day bringing it from 36°C to 18/19°C.

It is then transferred to the storage silo where it will continue to be cooled with ambient air. You know you are on top of it by October and at this crucial stage, the risk of bugs is removed without having to wait for the weather. If the chiller is used to bring the grain down to 12°C, it will easily do 1,500 tonnes in just 4 days”.

Tynegrain have operated the grain chilling unit since 2008.

FrigorTec GRANIFRIGOR™ KK 400 AHY grain cooling unit.

Ducting to each 1,500 tonne round silo from centralised grain chilling unit.

Mobile chillers create additional flexibility

The chilling unit proved the theory and met the performance levels expected by the plant management. In 2010, GrainCo purchased two further GRANIFRIGOR™ units; a KK 140 AHY and KK 200 AHY. These are used as mobile units. They are connected up to the storage silos or flat floors as and when additional chilling is required, giving certainty that despite weather conditions the grain will be maintained at a risk free temperature and moisture. In years like 2014, with mild, damp winters the chilling units are a god send as they give total peace of mind”.

The combination of permanently positioned and mobile chilling units meet the requirements of the Tynegrain plant. The system gives flexibility to cool as and when required. Working at maximum output Tynegrain can chill nearly 3,000 tonnes of grain to below 12°C every 3 to 4 days, eliminating long term storage risk.

HGCA Chilling Guidelines

1. Within 2 weeks of harvest grain temperature should be below 15°C
2. Within 3-4 months of harvest grain temperature should be below 12°C

Source: Third Edition, HGCA grain storage guide for cereals and oilseeds, 2011