MATHEMATICAL-MODELING AND SIMULATION OF NEAR-AMBIENT GRAIN DRYING

This work is concerned with the mathematical modelling and dynamic sim ulation of grain drying operations using air at ambient or near-ambien t conditions. The model, which is defined in terms of a mixed set of n on-linear partial differential and algebraic equations, employs detail ed descriptions of the underlying mass and energy transfer processes, including re-wetting and condensation effects. The model is implemente d in gPROMS, a general-purpose process modelling software tool. Compar isons between the predicted and measured results have shown that the m odel predictions match the measured values within the experimental err ors. A computationally efficient method for solving the model equation s is presented and it is shown that this method provides a good basis for simulating non-equilibrium models of near ambient grain drying. A number of heuristic control strategies reported in the literature have also been modelled and simulated.