| 摘要 |
Method and apparatus for conditioning and preserving living seeds in a bin of the type having means for forcing air into a plenum chamber in the lower part of the bin, a floor pervious to gas flow forming the top of the chamber, and heating means. Electrical heating means such as heat lamps are utilized to introduce energy into the plenum air. A variation is disclosed wherein the heating means and plenum chamber are located in the upper part of the bin, and the air flow is from top to bottom. The process involves measuring the temperature of drying air in the plenum chamber, measuring the temperature of exhaust air leaving the bin, and inactivating the heating means when the difference between the two temperatures exceeds a predetermined level. Energy is introduced into the plenum-air to supplement the air's natural capacity for holding moisture; a temperature sensing element in the exhaust-air activates or deactivates the energy sources according to a pre-selected (manual or automatic) allowable temperature depression that occurs from evaporative cooling. The differential setting is selectively controllable to accommodate the hygroscopic properties of differing seeds and variations of seasonal temperatures and humidities.
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