📋 Case Study

Ontario Soybean Dryer Elevator Spillage Reduction

Excessive spillage at head pulley causing fire hazard and product loss during high-moisture harvest

🏗️ Project Overview

On-farm dryer complex serving 18,000 acres with 3 bucket elevators

🎯 Challenge

Excessive spillage at head pulley causing fire hazard and product loss during high-moisture harvest

🔧 Design Approach

Replaced centrifugal discharge buckets with positive-discharge ‘V’-buckets; added adjustable skirt board + infrared level sensor feedback loop

📐 Design Diagram

AI-generated project design illustration

📐 Key Calculations

Centrifugal Discharge Threshold

v = √(g × r)

Result: 2.1 m/s

Below this, material falls back into boot

Optimal Bucket Fill Factor

FF = Q / (v × A × ρ)

Result: 0.62

Balances capacity vs. spillage risk

📊 Results

Spillage reduced by 94%; fire alarm events eliminated; 1.8% yield recovery per season

💡 Lessons Learned

• •Positive discharge is mandatory below 2.5 m/s belt speed
• •Skirt board adjustment must be dynamic—not static

✅ Key Takeaways

• 1Positive discharge is mandatory below 2.5 m/s belt speed
• 2Skirt board adjustment must be dynamic—not static