ДОСЛІДЖЕННЯ ХАРАКТЕРИСТИК АКТИВНОГО ВЕНТИЛЮВАННЯ ДРІБНОНАСІННЄВИХ КУЛЬТУР

Traditional storage methods involve the loss of grain at each stage of post-harvest processing. Particularly many problems arise with crops such as sorghum, millet, amaranth, rapeseed, mustard, flax, poppy and other pertaining to small-seed cultures due to their geometric dimensions and small mass of 1000 grains (up to 6 g of oil, up to 25 g - grain). For many of them there are not enough recommendations, regulations and other normative and technological documentation, forcing to substantially correct the technological regimes of their post-harvest processing and storage. Storage of cereals and oilseeds in a cooled state is an environmentally friendly technology that allows them to be much better preserved for their food and seed quality. Thus, lowering the temperature of the freshly harvested grain mass significantly slows down the physiological, biochemical, microbiological processes of the grain and the active vital activity of the pests, thereby ensuring its quality and quantity retention, even with high humidity. The results of the study of the characteristics of active ventilation of small-seed cultures necessary for safe long-term storage are presented. The studies were performed on experimental laboratory equipment for active ventilation. The initial and current grain moisture was measured by the standard method and monitored using electronic scales type ПВ-6 (TU 4274-005-27450820-95). According to the results of experimental studies, graphical dependences of the kinetics of dehydration at different regime parameters (flow velocity, its temperature, type of culture and its initial humidity) were constructed. In all studies, the thickness of the backfill layer was the same. Analysis of experimental data with the minimum hydraulic resistance of the amaranth grain layer - the air flow rate is 1.2...2.2 times higher than in other cases. For mustard and rapeseed, the flow parameters are almost identical. Analysis of the dependence of the moisture content of different small-seed cultures on their initial humidity stated that active ventilation is the most favorable for all types of grain with maximum initial moisture content. So, in this case grain moisture decreased by 26...45 % in 45 minutes, while for samples with lower initial humidity the decrease was from 12 to 30 %. Thus, when properly ventilated, the quality of small-seed cultures is always maintained and improved, leading to an increase in the output of the final product. In some cases, active ventilation with atmospheric air is practically the single most effective way of bringing small-seed crops to a stable state for further long-term storage and improving its quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]