Modified Quonset Stores 100,000 Bu.

Modified Quonset Stores 100,000 Bu. BUILDINGS Miscellaneous 29-5-11 When filled to the brim, the Peterson brothers' grain storage quonset holds 100,000 bu. With that much product in one spot, the family took extra care to make sure it was set up right. Brothers, Wayne, Len, Ervin and Don engineered the construction of the building, modifying the original building design to include unique aeration and wall reinforcement systems. Before the cement was poured for the 160 by 60 by 25-ft. high ZipperLock Quonset, Petersons incorporated "reversed aeration," (also known as "under-floor negative air flow) into their plans. The under-floor system consists of 6-in. pvc pipe. The cement floor has recessed screened openings. The pipes run outside to manifolds connected to two 1 1/2 hp electric fans on the outside of the building. "These small fans pull the air in the quonset downward and out of the building through the floor," Don says. "Otherwise, the warm grain's convection current would create condensation at the top of the building." At the time they put up the strange building the Peterson brothers compared its price to that of equivalent aerated hopper bottoms. They discovered that the aerated quonset would cost about 1/3 as much including the building, aeration system and bin sweep. "As soon as we fill it, we turn the fans on at night or on cool days, and continue this until the air coming out of the fans is at 0¦ Celsius," Don says. "Filling the quonset to the top with grain puts a lot of stress on the building walls. To reduce this stress, we put reinforcement bars in." On every rib along the inside walls, the Petersons bolted 1-ft. long sections of 1/4-in. chain (at a height of 10 ft). The other ends of the chains are welded to a building-length 4 by 4 by 1/8-in. square tube (since this is done along both side walls, there's one tube on each side of the building, running the length of the building.) Then, every 10 ft., a section of 3/8-in. cable is attached to the tubes with an adjustable bolt. The cable completes the system that effectively joins these opposite walls. "The tubes even out the weight on the wall, and the cables transfer it from one wall to the other," Don explains. "It gives the whole building a lot more strength." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Don Peterson, 10604 û 109 Ave., Westlock, Alta., Canada T7P 1C1 (ph 780 349-7126).

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