China’s new-generation air-film grain warehouses commence grain loading in Changsha

State Grain Reserves Group has launched formal grain loading and pressure testing operations at its 9,000-tonne-grade air-film grain warehouse cluster in Changsha, Hunan Province on July 24, marking the official operational progress of China’s fourth-generation modern grain storage facilities.

The project comprises five standardised air-film grain warehouses. Each single warehouse boasts a storage capacity of 9,000 tonnes, with a diameter of 24 metres, a total height of 33 metres and an effective grain loading height of 26.6 metres. The overall cluster delivers a robust total grain storage capacity to support stable national grain reserve management.

Adopting internationally advanced air-film reinforced concrete dome structure and innovative three-centre spherical top design, the new warehouses integrate structural stability with rainwater accumulation prevention capabilities. The one-piece forming construction method substantially enhances air tightness and thermal insulation performance. The facilities achieve over six times the national standard for high-standard grain warehouse air tightness, while their thermal insulation efficiency triples that of conventional grain storage buildings. The innovative structural design cuts daily operation and maintenance costs by more than 30 per cent compared with traditional warehouses.

The upgraded facilities deliver substantial energy-saving advantages across grain preservation procedures. The cooling energy consumption for grain piles drops by 4.33 per cent, and energy use for air-conditioning temperature control falls by 50 per cent. Nitrogen-based controlled atmosphere maintenance also sees a notable reduction in energy consumption, enabling more efficient and low-carbon grain storage operations.

The advanced structural and technological design effectively isolates external temperature and humidity fluctuations, curbing grain respiration loss and slowing quality deterioration. The warehouses are well adapted to the high-temperature, high-humidity and high-evaporation climatic conditions prevalent in southern China, solving core technical challenges for long-term grain preservation in regional storage scenarios. Equipped with intelligent grain condition monitoring systems, fully automatic ventilation devices and nitrogen-controlled atmosphere green storage technologies, the facilities minimise chemical agent application throughout the storage cycle, enabling eco-friendly grain preservation and sustained grain quality maintenance.

State Grain Reserves Group will further promote pilot construction and large-scale deployment of air-film grain warehouses through technological innovation. The continuous expansion of modernised and intelligent grain storage infrastructure will consolidate technological support for national grain reserve security and stable grain supply systems.