Harvested sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) are stored in cold regions in large piles exposed to ambient weather conditions and fluctuate temperatures during the winter storage period, which lasts for four months. To better understand the impact of air temperature on the pile temperature. A two-dimensional (2D) heat transfer steady-state model was designed to predict the temperature profile of the pile. To validate the model, temperatures obtained from the model were compared with the temperatures measured from onsite commercial piles during the storage seasons from November 2011 to January 2012 in the first season and from November 2012 to February 2013 in the second season in Reese, MI.The model tended to underestimate the pile temperature (°C). The mean difference between measured and modeled temperature values was significant (P 2264 0.05). Daily rate of sugar loss (kg/metric ton/day) based on measured and modeled temperatures were calculated and compared for model accuracy. The mean of the daily sugar loss based on the modeled pile temperature was significantly (P22640.05). Additionally, three zones (upper, middle and lower) of the pile were studied for the model accuracy. There was a significant difference between the modeled and measured the pile temperature between the three zones in the second season, whereas the first season didn't show difference between the temperatures of the upper and the middle zones (P2264 0.05). Moreover, a comparison of predicted sugar loss as a function of pile geometry was conducted under 2012 air temperature and 3°C increase in air temperature.
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