Abstract

FEITO CESPON, Michael; MARTINEZ CURBELO, Gretel; COVAS VARELA, Daylí  and  BARRERA GARCIA, Aníbal. Temperature control for preventing postharvest plagues in grain conservation. Ing. Desarro. [online]. 2015, vol.33, n.2, pp.216-237. ISSN 0122-3461.  https://doi.org/10.14482/inde.33.2.6281.

The postharvest insect plagues are the main cause of grain quality lost during storage period, fundamentally in tropical climate zones due to the high values of temperature and humidity. The storage in Refrigerated Metallic Storehouses (rms) is one of the principal technologies for the conservation of large grain quantities during long time period. The atmospheric variables are modified by using vehicles equipped with cool air compressors which are shared among several storehouses. The inadequate usage of these cold carts causes that temperature and/or humidity in the rms run out of the specifications for the maize conservation. This research aims to analyse and forecast the temperature and humidity behavior in a rms in order to evaluate and to improve the cooling process. A forecasting model for the temperature in the rms is built using trend lines, which is employed to plan the adequate usage of the cold carts.

Keywords : grain storage; post-harvest plague control; refrigerated metallic storehouse; temperature forecasting.

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