Hot Spots: What are they and where are they?

By The Silologist | May 13, 2020

Welcome back everyone!

This week I wanted to touch on hot spots in silos. A hot spot is what they describe as a localised high temperature zone found in grain bulk which can result in product spoilage.

Hot spots can be found throughout the silo, usually where is there is an infestation has started producing an CO2 gas creating a hot spot within the silo. These hot spots occur when the storage grain is above the recommended temperature, creating the environment insects thrive in subsequently in a what can be a nasty insect infestation.

The good news is, there are a few things you can do to ensure you don’t let a hot spot go unnoticed and as you may have guessed, it’s all about monitoring the temperature of your grain.

One method used to detect a hot spot is through thermal imaging. This non-contact method involves installing a number of sensors inside the silo which then detect high temperature readings, so you know where and when there is a hot spot inside your grain.

The second option is an CO2 Sniffer from an innovative company HE Silos is working with from Copenhagen, Denmark. This beauty is a sensor system that detects hot spots in their early stage of infestation before things get too serious. It works by detecting any unwanted activity from insects, fungus, etc that manage to make their inside your silo. A CO2 Sniffer sensor is installed from the roof of your silo through the centre of your silo where it can have optimal reading levels. By installing a CO2 Sniffer sensor, it will detect the rise in levels within the first 24-48 hours of infestation. This product is a quick detection for a faster reaction to maintain overall grain quality.

Hopefully that sums it up for you all. I must mention that the team and I here at HE Silos do stock the CO2 Sniffer, so feel free to let us know if it’s something you might be interested in.

Oh, and don’t forget to keep on top of your silo maintenance and inspections to make sure those pesky critters have the least chance of getting inside your storage bins.

I’ll be seeing you all in a couple of weeks’ time.

Steve, The Silologist.