A spatially distributed physical model for dynamic simulation of ventilated agro-material in bulk storage facilities

•Dynamic spatially distributed modelling of stored agro-material.•Complete storage model, containing fast (air) and slow (product-related) dynamics.•Decoupled and coupled CFD simulations, including controls (fan and hatches).•Model calibration-validation on data obtained from a large-scale storage facility. To maintain a high quality and limit storage losses of agro-materials in bulk storage, the dynamic interaction between climate in the facility and product needs to be better understood. In this paper, we present a (2-D) spatially distributed, dynamic full-scale bulk storage model. Also, model calibration and validation results using data from a full-scale potato storage facility are presented. The model predicts convection and diffusion of heat, mass and carbon dioxide as well as the heat, mass and carbon dioxide transfer between bulk and air, respiration and evaporation of the food product and the natural and forced convection in the storage facility. In the CFD model two actuators, a moving hatch and a fan, were successfully implemented. The validated model was used as a tool to investigate the cooling process within the full-scale storage facility. When applying a combination of under- and overpressure instead of the conventionally applied overpressure, a reduction of the temperature gradient in vertical direction and an increased temperature gradient of the temperature gradient in horizontal direction was obtained. A reduction on this horizontal temperature gradient was accomplished by adding an air channel near the roof.