Design and structural analysis of an innovative grain dryer frame with integrated mass measurement

Seeds of crops such as rapeseed, corn, and sunflowers require post-harvest drying for proper storage. Inadequate seed moisture leads to the development of bacteria and fungi. Excessively high seed moisture content promotes the growth of microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi, while excessively low moisture content reduces seed viability. The average moisture content of corn during harvest is up to 35%, in the case of rapeseed, 12%, and in the case of wheat – 18%, while the recommended moisture content for grain storage is 14% for corn, 6% for rapeseed, and 14% for wheat. Mobile and stationary dryers are available on the market and can be used as flow or batch dryers. The work aims to develop an innovative concept of a dryer with strain gauge measurement of the mass of dried material and to analyze the strength of its main frame. The dryers available on the market do not have scales that could control weight loss. The project included the analysis of commercialized and available solutions on the market, the development of a 3D CAD model of the entire dryer with a hopper of 8 m3, and an analysis of the strength of the dryer's main frame using the finite element method. SolidWorks was utilized for 3D modeling and the subsequent FEM strength analysis. The results of the FEM analysis demonstrate the structural integrity of the dryer, suggesting its feasibility for commercial production.