Grain storage refers to the methods and facilities that farmers used to preserve harvested grains and cereals for future use. Effective grain storage is crucial for maintaining the quality and safety of the grains, preventing spoilage, and ensuring that they remain suitable for consumption or sale.
The primary purpose of grain storage is to protect grains from environmental factors that can lead to spoilage, such as moisture, temperature fluctuations, pests, and contaminants.
KOU20 in action monitoring temperature
KOU20 in Mulch pile
Grain bags
Challenges:
- Temperature hotspots:
- Grain storage is prone to temperature variations caused by biological activity, moisture content, or environmental factors.
- Temperature hotspots can lead to spoilage, mold growth, and potential grain combustion.
- Moisture and spoilage:
- High temperature combined with moisture creates ideal conditions for fungal growth (e.g., aflatoxins).
- Spoiled grain can lead to financial losses and health hazards.
- Manual monitoring limitations:
- Traditional monitoring methods require manual probing, which is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and inconsistent.
- Manual measurements may miss localized temperature anomalies in large silos.
- Safety risks:
- Workers entering confined spaces like grain silos face significant risks, including asphyxiation or grain engulfment.
Grain storage
Solution with KOU20:
The KOU20 Compost Temperature Stick provides a wireless, IoT-enabled solution for continuous temperature monitoring.
Key functionalities include:
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- Deep Probing: The stick can be inserted into the grain pile or silo to measure temperature at varying depths.
- Real-Time Data Transmission: Utilizes LoRaWAN to transmit temperature readings wirelessly over long distances to a central system.
- Battery-Powered Design: Offers long-term monitoring without requiring a continuous power source.
- Scalability: Multiple sticks can be deployed across silos to provide a comprehensive temperature map.
KOU20
Benefits:
- Early problem detection
- Improved grain quality
- Operational efficiency
- Enhanced safety
- Cost savings
- Environmental benefits
The KOU20 Temperature Stick, originally designed for compost, demonstrates versatility in addressing critical challenges in grain storage. By providing real-time, reliable temperature data, it enhances grain storage operations, ensuring quality, safety, and cost-efficiency while enabling smarter, IoT-driven storage management practices.
On average, implementing continuous temperature monitoring in grain storage with a solution like the KOU20 can reduce spoilage risk by approximately 50-60%. This figure accounts for typical grain storage conditions where biological activity, moisture, and temperature variations are common challenges. The reduction is achieved through early detection of temperature anomalies, allowing for timely corrective actions such as aeration, drying, or redistribution of grain. This average assumes regular monitoring, actionable responses to alerts, and adherence to best storage practices.
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See our Blog post on Why Temperature Monitoring is essential for Grain Storage for more.
