Objectif AN APPLICATION OF A PETROL/GAS ENGINE DRIVEN AIR SOURCE HEAT PUMP WAS BELIEVED TO BE FEASIBLE IN GRAIN DRYING IN ONE OF ITS MOST EFFICIENT WORKING MODES : SIMULTANEOUS HEATING AND COOLING. THE HEAT PUMP PRODUCES BOTH CHILLED AIR OF 4 - 5 DEGREES C (HEAT SOURCE), WHICH CAN BE USED FOR REFRIGERATED STORAGE OF UNDRIED GRAINS, AND HOT AIR WHICH IS USED FOR DRYING. IN THIS WAY, CHILLED TO 4 - 5 DEGREES C, GRAIN CAN BE STORED FOR 3 - 4 MONTHS. A DRYER CAN THEN BE UTILIZED OVER A PERIOD 2 - 3 TIMES LONGER THAN IS TYPICAL WITH CURRENT PRACTICE. A HEAT PUMP WHICH EXTRACTS 10 KW LOW GRADE HEAT FROM AIR (REFRIGERATING CAPACITY) WAS DRIVEN BY A 12 KW PETROL/GAS ENGINE. WASTE HEAT FROM THIS ENGINE IS ALSO RECOVERED. A 71 TONNE STORE CONTAINS THE GRAIN TO BE CHILLED AND A 6 TONNE BATCH DRYING UNIT HAS BEEN BUILT. THE PRESENT TEST RIG COULD HANDLE 933 TONNES OF GRAIN PER YEAR. AFTER CONSTRUCTION BOTH THE OUTPUT AND THE THERMAL EFFICIENCY WERE LOWER THAN EXPECTED. THE PER WAS LOW (1,1), MAINLY DUE TO THE LOW EFFICIENCY OF THE DRIVING COMBUSTION ENGINE (17 %), AND THE FACT THAT THE REQUIRED FAN POWER WAS MUCH HIGHER THAN ONE WOULD THEORETICALLY EXPECT. THE PAYBACK TIME IS 5 - 6 YEARS. OPTIMIZING THESE DESIGN ASPECTS WOULD ALLOW A PER OF 1,9, THIS WOULD ALLOW SUCH A INSTALLATION TO BE ECONOMICALLY ATTRACTIVE. Programme(s) PRE-ENNONUC 2C - Energy research and development programme (EEC), 1979-1983 Thème(s) Data not available Appel à propositions Data not available Régime de financement Data not available Coordinateur THE AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTE Contribution de l’UE Aucune donnée Adresse OAK PARK RESEARCH CENTRE CARLOW Irlande Voir sur la carte Coût total Aucune donnée
