Calor LPG Cuts Crop Drying Time

As a cleaner burning fuel than oil, Calor LPG is ideal for a wide range of farming applications, such as crop drying, desiccation and weed burning.

For one farmer, Calor has helped reduce the time needed to dry grain from months to weeks. Simon Thompson, who manages 2,500 acres at Sotterley Farm near Beccles in Suffolk, replaced an old ambient drying system with one based around a Constant Humidity Controller (CHC) powered by Calor’s liquefied petroleum gas or LPG.

The move has meant that Simon can harvest grain at a higher moisture content enabling a timely completion of his harvest, even in wet seasons.

Grain has to be stored with a moisture content of no more than 14.5 per cent, or it risks suffering end user rejection through fungal damage or insect infestation.

Traditionally it has been dried "ambiently" using natural airflows through a building. However, Sotterley Farm’s Calor LPG-powered unit heats the air and automatically maintains it at a set humidity.

Simon says: “I decided against an oil or diesel-powered unit because I was concerned that fumes might taint the grain, making it difficult to sell. I went against getting an electrically-powered CHC because it would be far more expensive to run.

"The LPG-powered CHC unit means drying only takes two to three weeks per shed – it could take two to three months with the old ambient system if the weather was bad. Air humidity is maintained at exactly 65 per cent, which is perfect for drying cereals properly. It also means I can reduce combine capacity knowing I have the back up of a superior drying system," he adds.

Calor’s Jeff Penfold has found that farmers are increasingly switching to LPG-fired grain drying systems out of a mixture of efficiency, cost and peace of mind. He says: "Electricity is expensive and many oil-based systems just throw heat out. In contrast, LPG systems measure the moisture in the air and regulate burning to top up the heat that’s already there to the required level. Calor LPG doesn’t just dry well – it gives peace of mind."

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Written on behalf of Calor for Anglia Farmer.

For further information, please contact:

Kathy Hodson / Sue Foster
Connect PR. The Chubb Buildings, Fryer Street, Wolverhampton WV1 1HT
Tel: 01902 714957 / 07890 381725
Email: kathy@connect-group.com
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