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Dryer Optimization: Be Smarter Than Your Dryer - CONTINUED
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The control circuit is that electrical flow which will result in the function of devices such as motors, burners (as shown above) and solenoids, conveyors, etc. The safety circuit is electrical flow which is necessary to activate a control circuit. It is not the purpose of this paper to offer details, but a simple understanding of these circuits will help to focus on the troubleshooting of any drying equipment. |
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Operations
A simple statement, which may at first seem out of context when discussing the operations of your grain dryer, let’s discuss what it takes to be smarter than your dryer.
It is important that any operator of a grain dryer should understand not only the mechanical functions of the equipment but the principles of drying grain as well. While keeping a mechanical and electrical device in safe and working order can be a learned behavior, some better than others, knowing how to adjust and regulate for the desired outcome is equally as important.
Always be prepared with a plan to act promptly.
A plan for the routine, a plan for the unexpected, and a plan for the emergency. Routine operational guidelines include understanding the manual and the important information it offers. Sometimes it starts with just knowing where the manual is located. Have all documentation organized and on file. Duplicate everything to ensure that you have a copy at the drying station as well as one on file in the office. Highlight or reproduce the periodic maintenance schedules as outlined in the manuals. Most manuals, some better than others, will have the lubrication schedule outlined. It is important to have all electrical prints duplicated and available at the drying station. I understand that not all of your dryer operators will be as familiar with the details of electrical blueprints, but having them available for any technical support that can extract information from them can save time and money. Discipline yourself and/or your staff to follow it correctly.
Also produce a checklist of scheduled inspections and maintenance which is devised by your own supervisory staff for consistency with the discipline set for your entire facility. This should be prepared and routinely reviewed by your most experienced operators of type and make of drying machines currently at the facility.
Value the experienced operators.
Provide regular training for all operators of the drying equipment. A high temperature, high output drying machine is not something you leave at the hands of a night staff rookie. There is too much at stake for mistakes. It is suggested that you provide advanced technical training as well. Your dryer manufacturer and/or dealer support system may be able to assist is this training.
It is always an excellent practice to pre-start your dryer well ahead of the first rush of the drying season. This should first be done in conjunction with regular preseason maintenance. During this inspection, practice dryer start-up and shut down with all of your operators. This is an excellent opportunity to train several back-up operators. The basic general operation of the mechanics of the dryer is invaluable to the rookie operator who is asked to fill in during the rush of the season.
Know how to troubleshoot.
Detailed troubleshooting should be schooled each year for the advanced operators and/or supervisor. Understand the difference between the safety circuit and the control circuit of the panel. This simple differentiation can save timeless hours of downtime resulting from often clear-cut problems. Simply defined, the control circuit is that electrical flow which will result in the function of devices such as motors, burners and solenoids, conveyors, etc. The safety circuit is electrical flow which is necessary to activate a control circuit. It is not the purpose of this paper to offer details, but a simple understanding of these circuits will help to focus on the troubleshooting of any drying equipment. Example: If you can activate your general controls, but one of the motors will not start, the focus of the troubleshooting should be for the controls and circuit of that particular motor. The fact that you can activate the control circuit assures you that the safety circuit is intact. A more classic example would be the inability to activate the general controls at all would not indicate that you have a bad motor but that the safety devices that protect a motor would be suspect. Applying logic first to all troubleshooting will most often result in quicker resolve times. Always rehearse in your mind the sequence of operations that would or should normally occur when and focus on those devices that are next in sequence but appear to not be functioning.
When all else fails in your attempt to troubleshoot your equipment on your own, always know who your go-to support personnel are. You should be familiar with your local support personnel. This might be your local electrician or dealer. When you call on them it is important to have your electrical and mechanical documentation accessible. Often local electrical support may not be as familiar with your drying equipment as you, but they can apply that technical understanding of manufacturer prints to assist in your troubleshooting. Also, always know your dealer and/or manufacturer technical support personnel and their hours of operation. Having the same documentation available can assist in their ability to first troubleshoot over the phone. Always logically review the sequence of the failure and perform a few simple tests before you call for technical support. The more information you have available when speaking with support can often determine the success of resolving the problem via phone. A very high percentage of problems can be resolved with phone support but are often not due to lack of initial information and or impatience of the operators.
Mechanical know how, although an essential attribute in proper operations of a grain dryer, is only part of the abilities of a well trained proficient operator. A general understanding of the physiology of grain drying is essential in the proper operation and performance of a well tuned dryer.
All operators should have a good understanding of the limits of the fill and unload rates of their dryer. Too much or too little grain flow through conveyors and spouting can contribute to grain damage and shrinkage of put through for your facility. In system design and installation, try to keep the flow to and from the grain dryer as simple as possible. Keep the discharge path simple but adequate. Transferring downstream from a drying tank at full capacities of your handling equipment in lieu of marginal flow from the dryer can greatly manage damage and shrink. Wet grain charging the dryer should also have simple high capacity flows to not restrict the automatics of the dryer and/or risk high energy loss of heated air. It is also suggested here that segregating moisture feeding into a high speed dryer will enhance performance and simplify the operations of the dryer. If moisture variation of incoming grain can be minimized the opportunity for manual or automatic control of the dryer output is greatly enhanced. Continued >>
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