Kyrnytskyi S. Development and investigation of an energy-saving procees of drying of maize seeds in plant of countercurrent type

A thesis includes the problems statement to be solved for raising technological and energy efficiency of drying of seed maize. To increase the intensity of drying and decrease the specific fuel consumption, the countercurrent practice of drying of maize ears in a dense layer is offered. The results of theoretical investigations of main mechanisms of drying of maize ears on the basis of a scheme of countercurrent are given. Mathematical models were developed which allowed having determined distributions of main parameters of this process of drying: the temperature and moisture of maize ears, the temperature of a drying agent across the height of a drying plant, and specific energy consumptions depending on operating conditions of this process. The thermal and mechanical properties of the layer of maize ears, the speed of movement of the zone of drying, coefficients of drying and the general exposure of ears dehydration were evaluated experimentally. Prototypes of during plants were worked out and testedusing the results of these investigations. The economic return connected with commercialization of the countercurrent drier is 124000 gryvnias. Key words: maize seeds (maize ears), drying, heating, drier, specific energy consumption.