Alexander Frolov, head of the ventilation section, Agroseive LLC
The preparation of the vegetable store for the laying of a new crop begins immediately after the premises are vacated from last year's products. The rules for preparation are simple, but their observance allows you to prevent many problems and makes it possible to preserve the grown for a long time.
Step one. Thoroughly clean the storage from debris, soil and plant debris (this will help to avoid the spread of pathogens), carry out wet cleaning and disinfection. Remove all waste outside the storage area and dispose of it. All equipment, inventory and containers should be cleaned, rinsed, disinfected.
If the building is concrete, whitewash the inner surfaces of the room with a solution of freshly slaked lime with the addition of copper sulphate. Dry the room after whitewashing.
Step Two. Check executive elements ventilation unit.
Intake and exhaust valves - carefully inspect and perform a full opening and closing cycle. Do not lubricate the gear racks with grease: during operation, dust settles on the lubricated surface, and over time the grease turns into an abrasive, which destroys the gear rack mechanism.
Axial fans - be sure to turn it on, this will make it possible to determine the presence (absence) of extraneous noise. If no frequency control is installed, then all fans must be equipped with check valves, the flaps of which must open and close freely. If the electric motor has been repaired, then after installation it is necessary to check the correct rotation of the fan. Do not repair the impeller; in case of breakage, only replace it.
If used floor channels, then they must be washed and sorted by size.
Step Three... Inspect ventilation chambers in order to detect depressurization, breakdowns of supporting structures, the presence of foreign objects and malfunction of hatches and doors. Particular attention should be paid to air mixing chamber - when fully opened, the inlet valve must completely block the opening of the internal air supply.
Final step - checking the automation system. Remove dust from the inner surface of the controller and the control panel and tighten the contacts if necessary. Visually inspect the sensors for damage and contamination. The product sensor wires should be carefully coiled.
Note also that inviting service engineers to diagnose and repair the system, as well as purchase spare parts necessary in advance.
We wish you good harvests, successful storage and decent product prices!
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