Crop storage and controlling dew point

What is drying and what is the dew point? Failing to understand this process could result in the destruction of entire crops storing process.

How do you control the humidity around hundreds of tonnes of onions?

It’s clear that the processes of humidity control, curing and storing valuable crops require a good understanding of the impact of air and moisture. Humidity control within storing crops is a process where the following parameters play a determining role:

1. air temperature
2. relative humidity of the air
3. air pressure
4. dew point
5. temperature of produce to be dried
6. amount of air that passes through the produce

Why you need to understand warm air sometimes dries and sometimes makes things wet

Understanding the reason behind this phenomenon means you have to understand what the dew point is. It is that air is expressed as a temperature (degrees Celsius) and when the air cools down to this temperature (the dew point), the water vapour contained by the air starts to condense, which is visible in the form of dew, fog, mist or condensation on smooth, cold surfaces.

The dew point can never be higher than the actual air temperature
If the actual air temperature drops to the dew point, the air will become saturated with water in the form of dew, fog or condensation. The closer the dew point is to the actual air temperature, the more moisture in the air there is. The exact amount of water in the air is referred to as the “humidity” of the air.

Relative humidity

The amount of water vapour that can be held in the air is dictated by the temperature of the air. Warm air can hold far more moisture than cold air, meaning that the relative humidity of cold air would be far higher than warm air if their absolute humidity levels were equal. Typically, atmospheric air has about 50% of its water vapour holding capacity for a given temperature. The proportion of the maximum vapour holding capacity is referred to as relative humidity.

Getting the right combination ensures your crop storage remains efficient

Cambs Compressors are innovators of bespoke air distribution solutions and air supply infrastructure for farmers and growers. Our technical engineering team has the agriculture experience needed to solve your toughest challenges. We design, supply, install and maintain a wide variety of crop conditioning systems for agricultural customers across the East of England. Our low-carbon systems lead the way on efficiency and a longer lifespan means a better return on your investment. Which is why we commit to reduce downtime and maintenance costs with our competitive service plans. Cambs Compressors offer a comprehensive range of solutions for agriculture customers of all sizes.

Free audits of complex and simple air systems

Cambs Compressors specialise in multiple types of air compression technologies, and are highly skilled in selecting the proper equipment design and layout for your operation.

Our trained team of experts can walk you through each step of the process – and it starts with our free audit, all you need to do is call 0800 0029601