Abstract

The Regulation respecting occupational health and safety classifies as enclosed areas the feed silos used in an agricultural environment. Serious and often fatal accidents occur in these silage reservoirs. To take into account the risks posed by conventional tower silos, the researchers considered using scale models for their study. Their report of this preliminary research describes how they developed in the laboratory a specimen of a scale model for estimating the feasibility of using such miniature versions and of modifying them as needed. By measuring gases and other parameters, they followed the silage fermentation process in this experimental structure. Basing themselves then on data from prior ventilation tests on corn silage fermentation gases, they improved the design of the scale model silo.