Bin vent apparatus and methods
A bin vent apparatus is described herein for use on a storage bin for agricultural products. The storage bin can have a sidewall and a roof defining an interior. The bin vent apparatus includes a plurality of discrete, roof-mounted vent filters. Each of the vents has an inlet for receiving air from an interior of the bin, an outlet for venting air from the vent, a fluid flow path between the inlet and the outlet, and one or more filters disposed in the fluid flow path between the inlet and the outlet to filter the air received from the interior of the bin. A fan is disposed in the flow path and downstream of the one or more filters, the fan being operable to cause air to flow into the inlet, through the filter, and out of the outlet.
1 . A storage bin for agricultural products comprising an interior bounded by a cylindrical sidewall and a roof; an infeed opening in the roof through which agricultural products can be fed into the bin, at least one additional roof opening separate from the infeed opening; and a plurality of discrete, roof-mounted vent filters, each of the vent filters including an inlet for receiving air from the interior of the bin, wherein the inlet of each of the vents is connected to an associated opening in the roof, an outlet for venting air from the vent, a fluid flow path between the inlet and the outlet, and one or more filters disposed in the fluid flow path between the inlet and the outlet to filter the air received from the interior of the bin, and a fan disposed in the flow path and downstream of the one or more filters, the fan being selectively operable to cause air to flow into the inlet, through the filter, and out of the outlet; wherein each of the vent filters includes one or more pressurized air nozzles directed toward the filter on a downstream side thereof and in fluid communication with a source of pressurized air for cleaning the filter using pressurized air.
2 . The storage bin of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of discrete, roof-mounted vent filters includes four or more vent filters.
3 . The storage bin of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of discrete, roof-mounted vent filters includes sixteen or fewer vent filters.
4 . The storage bin of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of discrete, roof-mounted vent filters includes four or more vent filters and wherein the roof is a generally frustoconical.
5 . The storage bin of claim 1 , further comprising a rotary agricultural product distributor.
6 . The storage bin of claim 1 , wherein a baghouse dust collector is not used.
7 . The storage bin of claim 1 , wherein the grain bin includes a plurality of passive vents.
8 . The storage bin of claim 1 , including a pressure sensor an actuator responsive to said pressure sensor for actuating said one or more pressurized air nozzles when a pressure differential across said vent filter reaches a predetermined level.
9 . The storage bin of claim 1 , including a plurality of passive vents.
10 . A method of aspirating the grain bin of claim 1 , the method comprising, with respect to one or more of the plurality of discrete, roof-mounted vent filters, operating the fan to cause air to flow into the inlet from the interior of the bin, through the filter and out of the outlet.
11 . The method of claim 10 , the aspiration being performed during filling of the bin with a grain.
12 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising directing pressurized air from the source of pressurized air toward the filter on a downstream side thereof using the one or more pressurized air nozzles.
13 . The method of claim 10 , including actuating the pressurized air upon sensing that a pressure differential across said vent filter has reached a predetermined level.
14 . A storage bin for agricultural products comprising an interior bounded by a cylindrical sidewall and a roof; an infeed opening in the roof through which agricultural products can be fed into the bin, at least one additional roof opening separate from the infeed opening; and a plurality of discrete, roof-mounted vent filters, each of the vent filters including, within a housing, an inlet for receiving air from an interior of a bin, wherein the inlet of each of the vents is connected to an associated opening in the roof, an outlet for venting air from the vent, a fluid flow path between the inlet and the outlet, and plural discrete filters disposed in the fluid flow path between the inlet and the outlet to filter the air received from the interior of the bin, and a fan disposed in the flow path and downstream of the filters, the fan being selectively operable to cause air to flow into the inlet, through the filters, and out of the outlet.
15 . The storage bin of claim 14 , wherein each of the vent filters includes one or more pressurized air nozzles directed toward the filter on a downstream side thereof and in fluid communication with a source of pressurized air for cleaning the filter using pressurized air.
16 . The storage bin of claim 15 , further comprising a rotary distributor disposed within the interior for dispersing agricultural products fed into the bin view the infeed opening.
17 . The storage bin of claim 15 , including a plurality of passive vents.
18 . The storage bin of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of discrete, roof-mounted vent filters includes four or more vent filters; and wherein the roof is a generally frustoconical.
19 . The storage bin of claim 1 , including a plurality of passive vents.
20 . A method comprising building a storage bin for agricultural products, the storage bin comprising an interior bounded by a cylindrical sidewall and a roof; an infeed opening in the roof through which agricultural products can be fed into the bin, at least one additional roof opening separate from the infeed opening; and a plurality of discrete, roof-mounted vent filters, each of the vent filters including, within a housing, an inlet for receiving air from an interior of a bin, wherein the inlet of each of the vents is connected to an associated opening in the roof, an outlet for venting air from the vent, a fluid flow path between the inlet and the outlet, and plural discrete filters disposed in the fluid flow path between the inlet and the outlet to filter the air received from the interior of the bin, and a fan disposed in the flow path and downstream of the filters, the fan being selectively operable to cause air to flow into the inlet, through the filters, and out of the outlet.
21 . The method of claim 20 , including a plurality of passive vents.