New Truck Bed Grain Dryer

New Truck Bed Grain Dryer GRAIN DRYERS Grain Dryers (29E) 2-2-6 "It offers high capacity drying for a lot less cost than conventional systems," says C. Stanley Short, Sr., inventor and manufacturer of the new SS Truckbed Grain Dryer. Short's new way to dry grain adapts to most any straight or semi truck box. "We've used it on our farm for 25 years. We know it works," the Kenton, Del., farmer told FARM SHOW. He's made improvements in the system through the years and, prompted by visitors who've come from long distances to see it work, recently decided to patent the idea and put it into production. He's now set up for manufacturing and is taking orders for his new-style grain drying system. Short says the unit will dry an 800 bu. load of 21% moisture corn to 15.5% in about 3 hrs., using a 5 million btu gas fired burner and a 12 bladed 38 in. fan which delivers 20,000 cubic feet of air per minute. The truck box is equipped with a 2 ft. dia. perforated duct which runs the full length of the truck box. Perforated side panels (3132 in, mesh) are positioned 2 in. from the sides to allow for air movement. The fan forces heated air through the entire 2 ft. dia. duct which is perforated so that air moves uniformly through the load of grain, both laterally and vertically. Air moving laterally picks up moisture from the grain and passes through the perforated side panels. After grain is dried to the desired moisture content, the burner is turned off and the fan left running to cool the grain, Short explains. Trucks equipped with the drying ducts and perforated panels are fitted with a plywood endgate. There is a sliding grain door or gate on each side of the 2 ft. dia. duct entrance built in the center of the end gate. Short's truck bed dryer couples to whatever drying unit the owner either owns, or buys. He sells the unit with or without the drying unit. He recommends using a unit with a fan capable of moving at least 20,000 cfm of air, and a gas fired heater that will deliver 5 million btu's. "With this system, there's no labor, no air pollution, a minimum of fan noise and, since the grain is dried right in the truck, no kernel damage," Short points out. Cost (fob) to equip a 20 ft. long truck box (5 ft. high) with the center perforated duct and hold-down brackets, perforated side panels and the endgate equipped with a quick couple assembly for attaching the truck bed duct to the drying burner and fan, is right at $1,200. Short will also supply the dryer-fan unit - including a 15 hp. electric motor, a 38 in. multiple blade fan rated at 20,000 cfm, and a gas fired 5 million btu burner- for right at $4,000. For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, SS Truckbed Grain Dryer System, c/o Stanley Short, president, Kenton, Del. 19955 (ph. 302 653-9651).

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