EVALUATION OF EFFICIENCY OF USING RAPE-SEED OIL AS FUEL FOR GRAIN DRYER
The evaluation of the efficiency of using rape-seed oil as fuel for grain dryer is dealt with. Grain dryer analytical model was developed for theoretical research. The analytical model was used for thermal calculation, which included the following plotting in the j-d-diagram: a) air heating process at air mixing with fuel combustion products; b) the change of the drying agent state in drying areas or the change of air state in the cooling area; c) defining the consumption of drying agent, heat and fuel for drying, and defining air consumption for cooling. Comparative evaluation of using rapeseed oil as fuel and diesel fuel with all other conditions being equal is presented. The theoretical studies show that rape-seed oil consumption is somewhat greater than that of diesel fuel. The market price of both fuels is about the same, however, economic efficiency of using rape-seed oil instead of diesel fuel is achieved by rape-seed oil production at the enterprise which is an immediate user, because the cost price of rape-seed oil is approximately half as high as that of diesel fuel.