Location: Cotton Production and Processing Research
Title: Micro-incubator protocol for testing a CO2 sensor for early warning of spontaneous combustionAuthor
|
Submitted to: AgriEngineering
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 11/6/2024 Publication Date: 11/14/2024 Citation: Pelletier, M.G., McIntyre, J.S., Holt, G.A., Butts, C.L., Lamb, M.C. 2024. Micro-incubator protocol for testing a CO2 sensor for early warning of spontaneous combustion. AgriEngineering. 4(4):4294-4307. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriengineering6040242. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/agriengineering6040242 Interpretive Summary: The U.S. cotton and peanut industry is highly concerned with fires caused by natural caused due to improper storage of the seeds. A major source of these fires are seeds that are stored too wet that then proceed to grow microbes that leads to a chain reaction that results in a fire. These fires can be catastrophic resulting in millions of dollars in damages. This report discusses a scientific method for conducting experiments that will provide the foundation for the development of early warning sensors could provide seed house operators with tools to take early correct actions. This will allow them to mitigate the effects and avoid serious losses to their operations. Technical Abstract: This methods report outlines a comprehensive protocol for investigating spontaneous combustion (SC) in stored cottonseed and peanut warehouses using a micro-incubator approach. The protocol aims to quantify CO2 production rates and final CO2 levels in wet versus dry cottonseed and peanut samples, providing crucial data for early detection of SC risk in storage facilities. The experimental design utilizes a water-jacketed micro-incubator to simulate adiabatic conditions found in large seed piles. Key parameters monitored include CO2 concentration, temperature, pressure, and relative humidity. The protocol specifies seed preparation methods, experimental procedures for both control (dry) and wet runs, and termination criteria. Experiments are designed to run until internal temperatures reach 50°C or CO2 levels exceed sensor capacity. The study proposes three replicate runs each for wet and dry conditions. This protocol development is in-tended to support future experimental studies and ultimately contribute to the creation of a re-liable early warning system for SC in cottonseed and peanut warehouse storage facilities, ad-dressing a critical need in the cotton and peanut industry for improved risk management and insurability of storage facilities. |
