Technology for storing grain and corn for up to 18 months
Experience in storing grain in polymer sleeves. There is a shortage of warehouses and elevator capacities for storing the crop, so more and more farmers are choosing an alternative technology – storage in polymer sleeves! The essence of the technology is to store grain without air access. Three-layer base, outer white layer is UV-stabilized, reflects solar radiation for 18 months (maximum use period – 24 months).
Experience in storing grain in polymer sleeves.
There is a shortage of warehouses and elevator capacities for storing the crop, so more and more farmers are choosing an alternative technology – storage in polymer sleeves! The essence of the technology is to store grain without air access. Three-layer base, outer white layer is UV-stabilized, reflects solar radiation for 18 months (maximum use period – 24 months).
The basic principle of storage in polymer sleeves is to keep the grain in an anaerobic environment: during respiration of grain and microorganisms, they consume oxygen, reducing its concentration and, at the same time, increasing the amount of carbon dioxide. Due to this, the contents of the sleeve are naturally preserved.
Requirements for long-term storage in sleeves
- Properly prepared site. The presence of a flat and hard surface, cleared of stones and stubble. Preferably with a slight slope for water drainage.
- Grain is placed in polymer sleeves at the base humidity for each crop.
Wheat — up to 14%
Sunflower — from 8% to 15%
Corn — from 14% to 17%
Soybeans — 12%.
Ukrainian farms also use sleeves for short-term storage – there is experience in preserving corn at 19-22% moisture for 30-35 days.
- Availability of equipment for loading grain into sleeves. In Ukraine, bags with a diameter of 2.7 meters and from 60 to 90 meters in length (200 – 300 tons) are most often used. The distance between individual bags is at least 1 meter.
- Scheduled inspection. If the sleeve is damaged, promptly seal it with the repair tape included in the package.
Grain does not need to be additionally treated with pesticides before storage. Due to the fact that the grain is hermetically sealed with a sleeve, after 10-20 days all pests die in it. This is due to the fact that the grain “breathes” for some time – it consumes oxygen, plus insects and microorganisms reduce the oxygen level. When they have nothing to breathe, the pests die. Meanwhile, carbon dioxide is a natural preservative that helps preserve the grain.
Equipment for loading grain into sleeves
With specialized equipment, the process of loading grain into a 200-ton grain hopper takes about 1-1.5 hours. The range of Kobzarenko Plant LLC includes 3 models of equipment for loading into hoppers and 2 models for unloading grain from hoppers. Get to know grain packaging equipment
We offer equipment that works from the tractor’s PTO (ZPM-180, ZPM-180p), or from an electric motor (ZPMA-180 automobile). Grain packers, under the pressure of the grain loaded into the receiving hopper, move forward, and the filled sleeve remains in place. The sleeve tension is regulated using the brakes of grain packing machines.
Video instruction from grain packaging.
