Flameless Catalytic Infrared Technology: An Organic Pest Management Tool Anna Getchell, Rizana Mahroof, and Bhadriraju Subramanyam Department of Grain Science and Industry Kansas State University Manhattan, KS

Infrared Technology  On the energy spectrum, infrared radiation lies between visible and microwave radiation microwave radiation  Electromagnetic energy with wavelengths to 1000 μm long can be transferred to any material that can μm long can be transferred to any material that can absorb it, resulting in that material’s increased temperature absorb it, resulting in that material’s increased temperature  Water absorbs infrared energy at 3, 4.5, and 6 μm

Infrared as an Alternative to Chemicals  There is a lack of current stored pest management options that are effective on adults, inexpensive, and available for use are effective on adults, inexpensive, and available for use  Domestic and foreign buyers want residue-free products  Infrared is a “green” technology, there are no regulated emissions  Kills internal feeders  Has the potential to kill microbes associated with hard red winter wheat wheat  Selective rapid heating of insects

Past Infrared Use on Cereal Commodities  Infrared has been used for rapid drying of wheat and rice  First suggested by Blazer in 1942 as a tool to control stored product insects: insects have much more water than grain, thus product insects: insects have much more water than grain, thus will heat up faster than the grain will heat up faster than the grain  Originally tested with infrared heaters that used natural gas or propane gas combusted over ceramic panels with temperatures propane gas combusted over ceramic panels with temperatures close to 926°C. Exposure for less than one minute at 2-6 μm close to 926°C. Exposure for less than one minute at 2-6 μm resulted in effective killing of both external and internal feeding resulted in effective killing of both external and internal feeding insects in soft red winter wheat and paddy rice insects in soft red winter wheat and paddy rice  The age structure of the test insects, temperature during heating (as opposed to final temperature), and the use of real-time (as opposed to final temperature), and the use of real-time temperature tools were not addressed temperature tools were not addressed

Catalytic Drying Industries  Company based in Independence, KS:  Designed commercial-scale flameless catalytic heater and bench top model top model  Designed for drying paddy rice

 Dimensions: length 6.1 m (20 ft); width, 61 cm (24 inches)  Heater dimensions: 5.5 m long and 25.4 cm wide. There are a total of 4 pairs of heaters above the conveyer  Distance between heater surface and conveyer surface: 4.4 cm (lowest point), 8.9 cm (highest point)  7,200 BTU/sq ft; 216,000 BTU/h  Grain flow rate: 1,308 kg/h (2,880 lb/h) [65 kg/3 min]  Natural gas pressure: 9 cm water column (28 cm water column = 0.4 psi)  Grain treated in a single layer (0.3 mm thick)  Residence time of grain in the heating zone: 43 sec Commercial Heater Specifications

Commercial Tests

Mortality of Adult Insects: Commercial Scale Tests SpeciesTemp range ( o C) Total no. adults % Mortality Red flour beetle Rice weevil Merchant grain beetle Lesser grain borer

Mortality of Lesser Grain Borer Larvae: Commercial Scale Tests

Bench Top Model Tests Bench top model of infrared heater showing the propane bottle and pan with hard red winter wheat. The non-contact infrared thermometer (Raytek®, Model MX4) is used for continuous measurement of temperatures during exposure to infrared via RS-232 cable connected to a laptop computer

Tests with red flour beetle adults

Microbial Tests  While infrared has potential to be an excellent organic pest management tool, it also may have benefits in reducing numbers management tool, it also may have benefits in reducing numbers of microbes on grain of microbes on grain

Microbial Tests - Molds Effect of infrared on naturally-occurring molds in wheat g of wheat was exposed for 60 seconds, 12.7 cm from the heater. Temperature range: 32-83°C.

Microbial Tests - Escherichia coli O157:H7 Effect of infrared on E. coli O157:H g of wheat was exposed for 60 seconds, 12.7 cm from the heater. Temperature range: 32-83°C.

Future Work  Conduct quality tests: test weight, % moisture, protein, ash, and rheological tests on flour (farinograph and mixograph), and bread baking tests

Acknowledgments  Catalytic Drying Industries  Dr. Ludek Zurek, Dr. Stella Doyungan, Dr. Michael Toews  Daniel Hopper and Carmelita Goossen