Natural Gas Technologies & Solutions

Types of Equipment for Agricultural Drying

Having invested time and money in a year’s crops, it’s important to choose the best and most affordable drying method to ensure continued high quality products.

Grain Dryers
The size of the equipment depends on a number of variables, including acreage, number of bushels to be dried, type of crop to be dried (corn, beans), etc.

The required Btu/hr inputs for the equipment can range from 500,000 Btu/hr to over 10,000,000 Btu/hr. Most units operate with a pressure between 2lbs and 10lbs, which means Union Gas must put a special metering system on drying equipment. To have a contractor order a meter system for a grain dryer, complete a Request for Action form.

Tobacco Dryers
Tobacco drying equipment in Ontario is usually a kiln, shaped like a box or small building, with a burner to heat the air. Tobacco burners are typically lower in input than grain dryers, ranging from 120,000 Btu/hr to above 500,000 Btu/hr. However, even with the lower inputs, tobacco equipment also usually requires pressure gas, and needs to be handled as an independent system. To have a contractor order a metering system for your tobacco dryer, complete a Request for Action form.

Converting your Drying Equipment from
Propane to Natural Gas
Some types of existing propane drying equipment can be converted to natural gas by a licensed gas technician. Often, approved conversion kits are available from the manufacturer to make the conversion easy. In other cases, the conversion may require field approval from a TSSA inspector. Either way, this work must be done by a licensed contractor who specializes in conversion work. 

Availability of Natural Gas
One last consideration is the availability of natural gas. Before purchasing natural gas equipment ensure that a sufficient gas supply is available. Even if there is a gas line there, the line may only be sized for residential equipment, and may not have the capacity to supply a large burner such as this. Please contact your local Union Gas Representative to ensure that natural gas will be available at your location.