The third of the six options under System Settings is Grain Fill Settings. By selecting the Grain Fill Settings option, the operator will be taken to a page dedicated to all settings pertaining to the filling the dryer with grain.
Just as can be done on the Control page, the fill system can be started and stopped from the Grain Fill Settings page as well and the buttons behave in the same manner. The Grain Fill Settings page layout is very similar to that of the Takeaway Equipment Settings page.
Before moving on to the different features of the Grain Fill Settings page, it is important to have a good understanding of the Grain Fill System and it's design. The design provides versatility to accomdate different dryer sites. Some sites will utilize these features while others will not need to. The features that provide this versatility are the signals and timers. This system provides two signals and four timers.
The Fill 2 runs the level auger on profile dryers as well as any other equipment that is connected to the Fill 2 signal. Any other equipment that shares the Fill 2 signal will start and stop with the level auger of a profile dryer. Since the tower dryers do not have a level auger, nothing is connected to the Fill 2 signal from the factory. However, the signal is there to be used to run other equipment if so desired.
The Fill 1 signal is provided for equipment further upstream from Fill 2 equipment. Again, this signal is provided for convenience and is only to be used to run other equipment if so desired.
This is an adjustable timer that is started once the Grain Fill is started. If the set time for this timer elapses before the Rotary Bin Switch paddle in the hopper stops rotating, it will be assumed there is no more grain to fill the dryer with and the dryer will enter a Cool Down mode.
This is an adjustable timer that is started once the paddle of the Rotary Bin Switch in the hopper begins to rotate. Paddle rotation is used to sense the lack of grain. When the Rotary Bin Switch begins to rotate, the call for grain is started and if equipped, the Fill 2 equipment and level auger will start running. The time entered for the Fill 1 Start Delay is the time that needs to elapse before Fill 1 equipment is turned on.
The Fill 1 Stop Delay is a timer that decides when to turn the Fill 1 equipment off. The timer starts when the Rotary Bin Switch paddle stops rotating, ending the call for grain. Once the entered time value for this timer expires, the Fill 1 equipment will turn off.
The Fill 2 Stop Delay is a timer that decides when to stop the Fill 2 equipment and level auger if equipped. After the Fill 1 Stop Delay timer expires, shutting down the Fill 1 equipment, the Fill 2 equipment and level auger will continue to run for the allotted time entered for the Fill 2 Stop Delay timer.
This feature is typically used when filling an empty or near empty dryer. Checking the Fill From Empty box ignores the Grain Flow timer, allowing ample time for the dryer to be filled with grain from an empty state. After the dryer is filled, this box is automatically unchecked, allowing the PLC to control the automatic fill cycle of the dryer during operation.
This graphic is used to give a real-time illustration of the operating components of the Grain Fill System. When the Grain Fill System is off, nothing on the graphic will be illuminated and the line entering the dryer with the Fill 1 and Fill 2 tags will be white. Once the Grain Fill System is turned on, the Hopper, Fill 1 and Fill 2 will illuminate green. A flashing green graphic of any portion of the Grain Fill System indicates that the equipment for that particular portion of the system is currently running.
The bottom half of the Grain Fill Settings page contains a chart that illustrates the sequencing behind the Grain Fill System and associated timers. The green, horizontal lines within this chart indicate when different operations are starting, running, and shutting down. Under this chart are the previously discussed, adjustable timers used to control the timing of the equipment associated with the Grain Fill System.
Following the logic of the chart, the grain fill sequence starts with a call for grain. The call for grain comes when the rotary bin switch in the hopper starts rotating, due to the lack of grain. This call for grain starts all equipment associated with Fill 2. It also causes the Fill 1 Start Delay timer to begin its countdown. Once the Fill 1 Start Delay timer expires, all equipment associated with Fill 1 will start.
Following the logic of the chart, the shutdown sequence starts when the call for grain ends. When the call for grain ends, the equipment associated with Fill 1 and 2 will continue to run for the duration of the Fill 1 Stop Delay timer. Once the Fill 1 Stop Delay timer expires, all the equipment associated with Fill 1 will turn off but all the equipment associated with Fill 2 will continue to run for the duration of the Fill 2 Stop Delay timer. Once the Fill 2 Stop Delay timer expires, all equipment associated with Fill 2 will stop.
