Collapsible aeration system for retrofitting a grain bin

摘要

A novel collapsible aeration system is retrofitted into a grain bin with a discharge opening in the bottom. This grain bin may have a sloped or conical hopper or a flat bottom. The aeration system is formed from a set of connected (e.g. hinged) duct sections that define a round or multi-sided duct having a minimum of three sides or faces. The sides may be flat, curved or corrugated. The collapsible aeration system is folded (collapsed), inserted into the bin via a hole, and then unfolded inside the bin. An air duct is connected to the aeration system to enable the aeration system to dry the grain in the grain bin. This technology enables existing grain bins to be retrofitted with a dryer in an easy and efficient manner.

主权项

1. A collapsible aeration system for retrofitting a grain bin, the collapsible aeration system comprising:
a plurality of connected duct sections, each duct section having an outer surface, an inner surface narrower than the outer surface, and a pair of angled surfaces connecting the inner and outer surfaces; and a plurality of pivoting connections along adjoining edges of the duct sections for pivotally connecting adjacent pairs of the duct sections to thereby enable the collapsible aeration system to be folded and unfolded; wherein in an unfolded position, the plurality of connected duct sections collectively define an internal air space, and in a folded position, the aeration system collapses into a compact configuration for insertion into the grain bin.