Corn Storage Unit

a structure used for storing ears of corn until threshing. The storage unit should allow for ventilation when filled, in order to dry and keep the ears. In the USSR, corn is stored in sheds and tents with air fans. Cribs and sheltered earthen areas are also used.

Sheds and tents are the best type of storage unit for corn. The shed is the equivalent of a granary. The capacity of the shed ranges from 1,500 to 3,000 tons. In the tent, the outer walls are replaced by scantling. The capacity of the tent ranges from 1,000 to 2,000 tons. The corn is loaded mechanically by a platform elevator at the back of the unit. Within the storage unit, the ears are moved by a stationary conveyor mounted under the roof. The corn is piled about 2–3 m high along the walls and 5–6 m high in the middle. Air ducts, covered by grating, are installed in the floor in a permanent system to provide ventilation; in a portable system, a grating is installed 15–20 cm above the floor. A stream of air is created by a mobile fan and fed into the pile through a hose.

Cribs are structures in which the floor, walls, and roof are made of wooden laths and beams with 3–4 cm spaces between. Capacities are as high as 600–700 tons. The corn is loaded and unloaded through small hatchways. The crib is primitive and rarely used.

Sheltered earthen areas are plots of ground protected around the perimeter. Ventilation ducts are set up to improve air exchange. A tarpaulin covering on a pole frame is set up over the pile, leaving space for air.