Grain bins are bulk storage structures for dry

wheat Wheat is a group of wild and crop domestication, domesticated Poaceae, grasses of the genus ''Triticum'' (). They are Agriculture, cultivated for their cereal grains, which are staple foods around the world. Well-known Taxonomy of wheat, whe ...

soybean The soybean, soy bean, or soya bean (''Glycine max'') is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean. Soy is a staple crop, the world's most grown legume, and an important animal feed. Soy is a key source o ...

maize Maize (; ''Zea mays''), also known as corn in North American English, is a tall stout grass that produces cereal grain. It was domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 9,000 years ago from wild teosinte. Native American ...

, oats,

barley Barley (), a member of the grass family, is a major cereal grain grown in temperate climates globally. It was one of the first cultivated grains; it was domesticated in the Fertile Crescent around 9000 BC, giving it nonshattering spikele ...

and more. Grain bins are cylinders made of corrugated sheets or

sheet metal Sheet metal is metal formed into thin, flat pieces, usually by an industrial process. Thicknesses can vary significantly; extremely thin sheets are considered foil (metal), foil or Metal leaf, leaf, and pieces thicker than 6 mm (0.25 ...

with a coned metal roof that has vents. The floors of grain bins have aeration systems to keep good air flow through the stored products and keep it at a good temperature and

humidity Humidity is the concentration of water vapor present in the air. Water vapor, the gaseous state of water, is generally invisible to the human eye. Humidity indicates the likelihood for precipitation (meteorology), precipitation, dew, or fog t ...

level to prevent spoilage. In smaller grain systems, bins may serve both drying and storage purposes when a dedicated grain dryer is not present. These drying bins often use a stirring machine to mix dried grain at the bottom with wetter grain near the top, promoting even moisture levels throughout the bin. In drying bins, heated air is pushed through the grain using fans, with attached heaters, located at the base of the bin. Grain bins may be filled using augers in smaller setups, while larger systems typically use receiving pits for unloading grain from hopper trailers. From the pit, grain is raised vertically using a bucket elevator (also known as a grain leg) and directed through spouting systems that rely on gravity to fill individual bins. In some configurations, tubed conveyors are used to transport grain to bins located farther from the central leg. The grain bin sits on top of a strong concrete base to help the structure withstand high winds and the massive weight from the grain.

Difference between grain bins and silos

Grain bins differ from

farm A farm (also called an agricultural holding) is an area of land that is devoted primarily to agricultural processes with the primary objective of producing food and other crops; it is the basic facility in food production. The name is used fo ...

silo A silo () is a structure for storing Bulk material handling, bulk materials. Silos are commonly used for bulk storage of grain, coal, cement, carbon black, woodchips, food products and sawdust. Three types of silos are in widespread use toda ...

s which usually store foraged

silage Silage is fodder made from green foliage crops which have been preserved by fermentation (food), fermentation to the point of souring. It is fed to cattle, sheep and other ruminants. The fermentation and storage process is called ''ensilage'', ' ...

for animal feed and are made of concrete. or glass-fused-to-steel. Silos have no ventilation system promoting

fermentation Fermentation is a type of anaerobic metabolism which harnesses the redox potential of the reactants to make adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and organic end products. Organic molecules, such as glucose or other sugars, are catabolized and reduce ...

of the grain product. Silos typically have a

dome A dome () is an architectural element similar to the hollow upper half of a sphere. There is significant overlap with the term cupola, which may also refer to a dome or a structure on top of a dome. The precise definition of a dome has been a m ...

d roof with no conveyors.

Grain moisture levels

Corn is typically stored around 15% wet basis and soybean around 13%. The cold winter months are ideal for storing crops because of the low humidity levels, temperature, and pest problems. Storing grain in the bins for more than six months into the spring and summer means they will then have to be aerated more to keep the temperature and humidity down.

Grain dryers

Grain bins typically have grain dryers next to them which heat the grain to lower moisture content before storage within in the bins. Applying too much heat to the grain when attempting to lower moisture content can cause shrinkage which cuts into profits. Some farms have small grain bins and a dryer to lower moisture content before they sell to a larger local commercial grain elevator.

Transporting to and from the grain bin

When grain is harvested from a farm with a

Combine harvester The modern combine harvester, also called a combine, is a machine designed to harvest a variety of cultivated seeds. Combine harvesters are one of the most economically important labour-saving inventions, significantly reducing the fraction of ...

the combine typically loads the grain into a grain cart, which then unloads it into a grain hopper trailer, gravity wagon, or dump truck to be hauled to the local grain bin. The commercial grain bin operator then sells the commodity at an opportune time and it is then transported, with a grain hopper trailer or dump truck, to a grain elevator to be put on a

barge A barge is typically a flat-bottomed boat, flat-bottomed vessel which does not have its own means of mechanical propulsion. Original use was on inland waterways, while modern use is on both inland and ocean, marine water environments. The firs ...

or grain train, if the grain bin isn't already at the grain elevator site.

References

{{reflist Agricultural buildings Containers Food storage containers Building types Agricultural machinery Grain production