Potato Storage
13 september 2023
Potato storage
Jan van Maldegem
About myself
Program
• Theory of drying
• Storage design
• Ventilation and refrigeration systems
• Storage stages and diseases
• Climate control
• Sugars and frying quality
• Storage costs
History
Storage in 3 minutes
The essence of storage is to reduce:
Fungi Dehydration
Bacteria Respiration
What is potato storage about?
• Biology
• Physics
• Chemistry
• Technology
• Psychology
Mollier diagram
• Richard Mollier
• Thermodynamics (water, steam and moist air)
• Mollier diagram = psychrometric chart
Thermodynamics
• Cooking
• Relative humidity
• Evaporation (drying)
• Condensation
Relative humidity
• Absolute humidity
• 0,5 liter (or 0,5 kg/liter)
• Relative humidity
• 50 %
Air volume is depending on temperature
Volume of water
increases from 50-90%
25 °C 10 °C
Air volume is depending on temperature
Volume of water
increases from 90 - ? %
25 °C 10 °C
Drying
• Simplified Mollier diagram
Remember this 24 hours a day
• Temperature of the product
• R.H. of the product
Figure A
• Temperature of the air
• R.H. of the air
Figure B
• If figure B is lower than figure A, you dry!
Drying yes or no?
• Product 15°C - 100% = 12.9 g/m3
• Outside 12°C - 100% = 10.7 g/m3
• Yes: 12.9 – 10.7= 2.2 g/m3
Drying yes or no?
• Product 15°C - 100% = 12.9 g/m3
• Outside 17°C - 90% = 13.1 g/m3
• No: 12.9 – 13.1= - 0.2 g/m3
Example of drying 1
• 1.000 ton potatoes - Product temperature 15 °C, wet
- Outside at night (fog) 5 °C, R.H. 100%
- Outside daytime 16 °C, R.H. 80 %
- Wet rot 5%
• Ventilation capacity - 80 m3/[Link] at 150 Pa
• How long will it take before these potatoes are dry ?
Example of drying 2
• First drying 50% of the moisture of the wet
rot as soon as possible
• Other 50% of the moisture drying in 20
weeks
Ventilation capacity
• Ventilation rate potatoes 50 – 100 m3/h per
m3 potatoes at 150 Pa counter pressure
• For example fan capacity of TTR 9.22 fan at
150 Pa: 26,250 m3/h
• 26,250 m3/h air with 100 m3/h.m3
ventilation rate = 262,50 m3 of potatoes
• = 170 tonnes of potatoes
Example of drying 3
• Calculation:
• 1 m3 potatoes = 650 kg
• Per m3 of product we have to remove:
• 1% moisture on the outside of the potatoes
= 1% x 650 kg = 6,5 kg water = 6.500 gram
• 50% of 5% wet rot (± 80% water)
= 5% x 650 kg x 80%
= 50% of 26 kg water = 13.000 g
Example of drying 4
Temperature R.H. Gram/water
Product 15 °C 100 % 12,9 g/m3
Air (night) 5 °C 100 % 6,8 g/m3
Air (day) 16 °C 80 % 11,0 g/m3
Difference 6,1 g/m3
( night)
Difference (day) 1,9 g/m3
• Night (± 10 hrs): 10 x 6,1 g/m3 x 80 m3 = 4.880 gram water removed
• Day time (± 14 hrs): 14 x 1,9 g/m3 x 80 m3 = 2.128 gram water removed
• Per 24 hrs: 4.880 g + 2.128 g = 7.008 g water removed
• Drying time 1% moisture: 6.500 / 7.008 = ± 1,0 day
• 50% of 5% wet rot: 13.000 gram of water needs to be removed
• So another 13.000 / 7.008 = ± 1,9 days extra
Producttemp. / drying rate
Temperature R.H. Moisture Drying time (outside)
Crop 14 °C 100 % 12,1 g/m3 moisture: 6.500 / 560 = ±
11,6 days
Air (night) 13 °C 100 % 11,4 g/m3
Air (day) 16 °C 90 % 12,3 g/m3 After this ± 230 hr (= 23
days) (10 h during night)
Diff. (night) 0,7 g/m3
ventilation for diseased
Diff. (day) - 0,2 g/m3 tubers
Temperature R.H. Moisture Drying time (outside)
Crop 17 °C 100 % 14,6 g/m3 moisture: 6.500 / 5.248 =
± 1,2 day
Air (night) 13 °C 100 % 11,4 g/m3
Air (day) 16 °C 90 % 12,3 g/m3 After this ± 60 hr (= 2,5
Diff. (night) 3,2 g/m3 day) ventilation for
Diff. (day) 2,3 g/m3 diseased tubers
Climate Control Computer settings
What happens at harvest time
• Measure the potato temperature at harvest time
What happens at harvest time?
• Crop comes into the storage at various temperatures
Netherlands - Germany Africa – France
12 °C 17 °C 18 °C 18 °C 23 °C 25 °C
8.00 a.m. 2.00 p.m. 8.00 p.m. 8.00 a.m. 2.00 p.m. 8.00 p.m.
At night time in practice………….
• We do nothing…..
• Fans switched on and hatches open
12 °C 17 °C 18 °C
12°C
Early in the morning
• Crop has cooled down
12 °C 17 °C 18 °C
11 °C 16 °C 16 °C
Evaporation of moisture
• Drying = evaporation of moisture
• For evaporation energy is needed
(cools down the potato)
• Evaporative heat of water is 2256
kJ/kg
The right way is………….
• Fans on and inlet hatches closed, door open (and heater at 15 °C)
and internal circulation
11 °C 17 °C 18 °C
In practice
• Small heater on boxes in
front of the pile
Program
• Theory of drying
• Storage design
• Ventilation and refrigeration systems
• Storage stages and diseases
• Climate control
• Sugars and frying quality
• Storage costs
Storage design
• It’s all about limiting:
• Number of ventilation hours
• Weight loss
• Pressure spots
• Temperature differences
• Risk of condensation
Storage
• Building
• Box and bulk storage
• Control systems
Building
Russia South America
India Netherlands
Insulation
Mineral wool 2.5 cm
• Keep heat and moisture outside Hard foam 2.5 cm
• Insulation material Cork 2.5 cm
• K-value 0,20 - 0,22 W/m2.K (thermal
Wood 8.5 cm
transmittance)
Gas concrete 26.5 cm
Dry sand 35 cm
Brick 36.5 cm
Glas 49 cm
Clinker 63 cm
Concrete 123 cm
Storage design
• Boxes
• Bags
• Bulk
Box / bag storage
Air mix unit
+ flexible
+ low weight loss
- less drying capacity
Air mix unit
Air circulation system box storage
• Space ventilation
Compact cooler
• Mobile cooling unit
Letter box system
+ high drying
capacity
- accurate
positioning
- limited row length
- short
Letter box system
Suction wall
+ longer rows
+ high drying
capacity
- handling of cover
- same length rows
- use of heater
Suction wall
Airbag system
+ longer rows
+ high drying
capacity
+ blowing/sucking
- more expensive
- handling of cover
- same length rows
Airbag system
Different types of boxes
Boxes
• Forced ventilation through the boxes
• Fresh product from the field
• Rotten tubers
• Space ventilation system
• Dry product
• Graded product
Bulk storage system
Air ducts for bulk storage
Semi-circular air ducts
Horizontal mounting
Vertical mounting
Some advice for building a storage
• Make several compartments in the storage with e.g. different storage
system
• 6 x 500 ton => 3,000 ton
Program
• Theory of drying
• Storage design
• Ventilation and refrigeration systems
• Storage stages and diseases
• Climate control
• Sugars and frying quality
• Storage costs
Fans
• AC fans
• EC/ACM fans
• High efficiency
• Lower losses and therefore less
energy input necessary 10 – 15%
• Standard rpm control
Reduction noise level fans
Climate Control Computer settings
Air flow and computer fluid dynamics
• Less optimal air distribution (velocity)
Too high
Too low
Air flow and computer fluid dynamics
• Less optimal air distribution (flow)
Air flow and computer fluid dynamics
• Optimised (air velocity)
Refrigeration system
• Constant storage temperature
• Less weight loss
What to pay attention to with a refrigeration system
• Design of installation C.O.P.
• Compressor, expansion valve, evaporator, condenser
• Insulation storage
• Co-operation fans / refrigeration
How does a refrigeration (heat pump) system
work?
• (120) How Do Refrigerators Work? - Refrigeration Explained (2.0) - YouTube
Direct expansion system
Heat release to Heat absorption from
outside air the storage
Refrigerant cycle
Indirect with coolant
Expansion valve Chiller unit
Heat absorption from
Heat release to the storage
outside air
Refrigerant cycle Coolant
cycle
Expansion valve Coolant
Heat exchanger pump
Advantages indirect refrigeration
• Evaporator temperature can be controlled
• Less weight loss crop
• Less refrigerant necessary (environment)
• Energy saving control system
Heat production potatoes
Cooling capacity
Example of product entering storage at 10°C and cooling to 4°C, outside Example of product at storage temperature of 4°C, outside 11 °C
11 °C
Program
• Theory of drying
• Storage design
• Ventilation and refrigeration systems
• Storage stages and diseases
• Climate control
• Sugars and frying quality
• Storage costs
Stages of storage
• Wound healing
• Drying
• Bring product at the right temperature (cooling down)
• Maintain product at right temperature
• When harvesting dry, (manually) and at high temperatures first cool
down
Storage period
Drying/Skin setting
Cooling
Storage
Reheat
Climate Control Computer settings
What kind of problems may arrise in the storage ?
• Damages
• Pressure spots
• Silverscurf
Find out what you are harvesting exactly
• Secondary growth
• Wet rot
• Control and inspect
Pressure spots
• Arise by difference in
temperature
• Make sure you will have equal
temperature during storage
period
Storage diseases and storage strategy
• Rot - “continuous” drying
• Phoma - infection at < 8 °C
• Phusarium - infection at > 10 °C
• Silverscurf - infection > 100%
• Phytophthora - process takes 20 weeks
• Bacterial (wet) rot - process takes 20 weeks
(50% during first week)
• Second growth - process takes 1 week
A storage is not a hospital!
Program
• Theory of drying
• Storage design
• Ventilation and refrigeration systems
• Storage stages and diseases
• Climate control
• Sugars and frying quality
• Storage costs
Climate control
• Measurement
• Control
• Intelligent use of energy
Climate control
• Temperature
• Humidity
• CO2
Storage
• Drying depends on:
• Variety
• Type of soil
• Tuber temperature
• Level of dry matter / storability
• Storage temperature 15 - 18 °C
• Optimum for wound healing
• Ventilator blowing for 24hrs until the product is dry
• Insulation level of the building:
between 0,20 – 0,24
Internal ventilation
• Very important with wet products and bad quality potatoes.
• Wet spots are becoming dry and dry spots are becoming wet
• Make sure the building is well insulated
• Be aware of CO2 level, maximum 3500 ppm
• Placement of CO2 measurement
• Make sure the inlet hatches are on the right position
Climate control computer settings
• Outside in rel. to product temperature
• Duct in rel. to product temperature
• Minimum duct temperature
• Min. water removal in grammes
• Day time period setting
Minimum duct temperature
• Use during drying/wound healing to avoid
cooling down of product
• Take care that the value of setting is low enough
to reach end temperature during storage phase
• Ventilating during storage phase with small
temp. differences results in more operating
hours (drying)
Long term storage and sprout inhibition (dormancy
enhancer)
• Long term storage (> 6 months) impossible without sprout inhibitors
(processing potatoes)
• Minimizing respiration
• Storage at higher temperature (sugars)
Factors influencing sprout inhibition
• Variety (dormancy)
• Growing season (stress)
• Planned storage period/final product
• Chemicals (legal admission)
• Application method
Sprout inhibitors - chemicals
• Maleic hydrazide (Crown MH, Royal MH = field)
• Mint oil (Biox M = organic)
• Ethylene (Restrain)
• 1,4 DiMethylNaphtalene (1,4SIGHT)
• Chloorpropham (not allowed in EU anymore)
Application of sprout inhibitors
• Dry crop for application
• Take care of good air stream
• Keep storage closed for period (mind the CO2
level)
• Skin burn with some varieties and non-mature
skin
• Automatic control by Vision Control
Mistakes ….
• Heater on wrong place
Mistakes
• Fans with different capacities in pressure room
2,2 kW
5,5 kW
3 kW
Mistakes
• Big temperature differences in 1 compartment
16 °C
14 °C
14 °C
14 °C
Program
• Theory of drying
• Storage design
• Ventilation and refrigeration systems
• Storage stages and diseases
• Climate control
• Sugars and frying quality
• Storage costs
Sugars in potatoes
Light
• Starch
• Sucrose = non reducing Glucose Fructose
• Glucose / fructose = reducing Sucrose
Fructose
Sucrose
Glucose
Starch
Reducing sugar content
• Maillard reaction – brown discoloration
of amino acids and sugars from
potatoes (acrylamide)
• Potatoes for chips: max 0,2 % reducing
sugars
• Potatoes for French fries: max. 0,3 %
reducing sugars
Frying colours potato chips
Frying colours potato chips
Factors influencing frying quality
• Variety
• Maturity
• Cooling rate
• Storage temperature
• Reconditioning / Heating rate
Frying problems
• Cold induced sweetening
• low storage temperature
• Ripeness/maturity
• Senescent sweetening
• high storage temperature
• ageing
• CO2
Cold induced sweetening
Bintje season 1
2
1,8
1,6
% reducing sugars
1,4
1,2
1
2 °C
0,8
4 °C
0,6
6 °C
0,4
8 °C
0,2
0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300
Days in storage
Senescent sweetening
Bintje season 2
2
% reducing sugars
1,5
4 °C
1 6 °C
8 °C
0,5 10 °C
14 °C
0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350
Days in storage
Differences in variety
Storage at 8 °C
0,5
0,45
% reducing sugars
0,4
0,35 Bintje
0,3
Saturna
0,25
0,2 Agria
0,15
0,1
0,05
0
0 100 200 300
Days in storage
Maturity
Effect of harvest time
2,5
% reducing sugars
2
Harvest 1
1,5
Harvest 4
1 Harvest 8
0,5
Days after first harvest
Reconditioning 1
Storage at 4 °C and 14 days at 18 °C
1
0,9
% reducing sugars
0,8
0,7
0,6
0,5
0,4
0,3
0,2
0,1
0
0 70 140 210 280 350
Days in storage
Reconditioning 2
Storage at 10 °C and 14 days at 18 °C
0,5
0,4
% reducing sugars
0,3
0,2
0,1
0
0 70 140 210 280 350
Days in storage
Gradual temperature regime
14 °C > 4 °C > 14 °C + 14 days 18 °C
0,5
0,4
% reducing sugars
0,3
0,2
0,1
0
0 70 140 210 280 350
Days in storage
Measuring frying quality
Measuring sugars (glucose)
Frying colour and sprout inhibitors
• During application (48 h closed)
• Ethylene as a sprout inhibitor
Program
• Theory of drying
• Storage design
• Ventilation and refrigeration systems
• Storage stages and diseases
• Climate control
• Sugars and frying quality
• Storage costs
Storage cost
• 50 ha potatoes for processing
• 50 x 55 tons/ha = ± 3.000 tons total capacity
• Bulk storage with 2 x 1.000 tons ventilation and 1000 tons
refrigeration (50 W/ton)
• 6 - 8 months storage
Storage costs
• Building (+ area)
• Ventilation system
• Refrigeration system
• Energy
• Chemicals / sprout inhibitors
Building
• Insulated building
• 1000 tonnes
• Gross ± 20 x 25 m = 500 m2
• Nett 18 x 20 x 4 m = 1500 m3 x 650 kg/m3 = 1000 ton
• Building € 275 / m2 x 500 m2 = € 137.500 / 1000 ton
• ± € 412.500 for 3000 ton
Ventilation system
• Ventilation system for 1000 ton
• Fans
• Air ducts
• Hatch control system
• Climate control computer system
• € 45.000 per 1000 ton x 3 = € 135.000
Refrigeration system
• Refrigeration capacity W/ton
• Limited capacity (50 W/ton)
• Full capacity (75 W/ton)
• Limited capacity ± € 55.000 / 1000 ton
Anti-sprouting
• Many (expensive) choices, depending on
availability, storage, variety, etc.
• 4 x 20 ml/ton 1,4 Sight for 6-8 months = € 10/ton
Energy and chemical costs
• Total for 3000 ton 6 – 8 months storage
• Ventilation (40 kW*840 h = 33.600 kWh) = € 6.000
• Refrigeration (23 kW*400 h = 9.200 kWh) = € 1.700
• Sprout inhibitors (€ 10/ton x 3.000 ton) = € 30.000
Total price
New price Price after 25 years Value after 25 years Depriciation / year Interest (5%)
Building (3000 ton) € 412.500 € 103.125 25% € 12.375 € 619
Ventilation (3000 ton) € 135.000 € - 0% € 13.500 € 675
Refrigeration (1000 ton) € 55.000 € - 0% € 5.500 € 275
Total € 602.500 € 31.375 € 1.569
Interest 5% € 1.569
Insurance and maintenance 2% € 12.050
Energy ventilation € 6.000
Energy refrigeration (2 months) € 1.700
Sprout inhibitors € 30.000
Total costs per year € 82.694
Costs per ton € 28
Costs per ha € 1.654
Costs & benefits
• Total costs = € 28 / ton
• Weight loss optimisation
• 6 – 8 % weight loss over 6 – 8 months
• 6 % weight loss instead of 10 %
• 4 % less of 3.000 ton = 120 ton x € 100/ton = € 12.000 extra profit
How to earn back storage costs?
Average processing potato price
30
25
20
15
€/ton
10
0
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Questions?