Safety Analysis of the Grain Fermentation in a Storage Silo

The consistent rise in global grain production underscores the importance of ensuring the quality and safety of grain for consumption through effective grain storage systems. This research aims to explore the principles of thermal ignition established by Frank-Kamenetskii, in exothermic reacting systems. When an exothermic chemical reaction occurs in a storage silo, it poses the risk of a thermal explosion. An explosion ensures when the rate at which heat is generated by the chemical reaction is greater than the rate at which it is dissipated through conduction and convection across the vessel walls. Frank-Kamenetskii defined a parameter δ that shows that the explosion occurred when δ exceed a critical value depending on the geometry. This research analyzes the interplay between natural convection and thermal explosion, which enhances the understanding of the conditions leading to thermal explosions and how convection can either promote or suppress them.