Abstract: A grain dryer has a pair of heating columns with an upper plenum in communication with the pair of heating columns. Each heating column has an inner boundary and an outer boundary being formed with a plurality of angled containment baffles configured to funnel grain down the heating column while allowing heated air to be drawn from the upper plenum through the grain. The grain dryer has a plurality of grain diverters mounted longitudinally at regular height intervals between the containment baffles forming the inner boundary and the containment baffles forming the outer boundary. Each grain diverter is shaped to form a downward facing nook that forms a void in the grain as the grain flows down the heating column.

Abstract: A grain dryer has a pair of heating columns, each having an inner boundary and an outer boundary formed with angled containment baffles configured to funnel grain down the heating column while allowing heated air to be drawn through the grain from an upper plenum. The grain dryer has a ductwork connected to the outer boundary of each heating column, and at least one fan that takes a suction from the ductwork to draw heated air from the upper plenum through the heating column. Debris entrained in higher velocity heated air leaving the outer boundary settles in the ductwork because of the lower velocity of the heated air. An access port is attached in the bottom portion of the ductwork that is operable between a closed position and an open position, wherein debris that settles in the bottom portion of the ductwork is removed through the access port.

Abstract: The flame cone of the present invention is intended to be used with a heater for a grain bin or the like. The heater comprises a housing having one or more housing walls and having an inlet end and an outlet end. A blower is provided for forcefully moving air from the inlet end through the housing and out of the outlet end. A burner is provided within the housing for heating air moving through the housing. A flame diverter is positioned within the housing downstream from the burner for diverting the flame outwardly from the burner toward the walls of the housing. The diverter comprises a cone-shaped structure having a plurality of spaced slats diverging outwardly from the burner and toward the walls of the housing. More specifically, the improvement of this invention comprises a burner cone having an apex and an outer base spaced axially from the apex with the slope of the burner cone being generally similar to the slope of the diverter.