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Title: MEASUREMENT OF PARTICULATE EMISSIONS FROM CORN RECEIVING OPERATIONS WITH SIMULATED HOPPER BOTTOM TRUCKS

Author
item BILLATE, R - KANSAS STATE UNIV
item MAGHIRANG, R - KANSAS STATE UNIV
item Casada, Mark

Submitted to: Transactions of the ASAE
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/1/2003
Publication Date: 3/1/2004
Citation: Billate, R.D., Maghirang, R.G., Casada, M. 2004. Measurement of particulate emissions from corn receiving operations with simulated hopper bottom trucks. Transactions of the ASAE. 2004. 47(2):521-529.

Interpretive Summary: Dust emissions from grain elevator operations can be a safety and health risk and a nuisance. We measured the dust emitted and air entrained during corn receiving operations at the GMPRC grain elevator, providing information to facilitate dust control designs to reduce the risks and nuisance problems of grain elevator dust emissions. Emissions were measured for both the total amount of dust and the amount of small particles related to health risks from inhaled dust. The amount of air entrained per unit volume of grain (specific air entrainment) and dust emission rates for total dust and small particles decreased with increasing grain flow rate. Thus, higher unloading rates produced less dust emissions and less small particles from a given amount of grain.

Technical Abstract: Dust emissions from grain elevator operations can be a safety and health risk and a nuisance. Fundamental data on air entrainment and dust emission are needed for designing adequate and effective dust emission control methods. This study measured the amount of entrained air and emitted dust during corn receiving operations at an elevator operated by the USDA Grain Marketing and Production Research Center, Manhattan, Kansas. Shelled corn (maize) was unloaded from a storage bin, representing a hopper bottom truck, to the receiving pit at rates of 17 to 262 kg/s and drop heights of 38 to 56 cm. Airflow rates were measured with propeller anemometers. The emission rates of total suspended particulates (TSP) and particulate matter smaller than 10 mm aerodynamic diameter (PM10) were measured with high volume particulate samplers. The amount of air entrained per unit volume of grain decreased with increasing grain flow rate. The emission rates of TSP (8.3-52 g/metric ton of grain received) and PM10 (0.6-6.1 g/t) decreased with increasing grain flow rate and decreasing drop height.