Lightweight hermetic storage systems and methods for dry agricultural commodities

Abstract

A lower cost, light weight, hermetic system and method for storage of dry commodities outdoors for up to 1000 tonnes of commodity includes a multilayer joined material with a thickness of 0.2-0.3 mm, a weight of approximately 200 g/m 2 , a permeability to oxygen of less than 3 cc/m 2 /day and a permeability to water of less than 4 g/m 2 /day, a tensile strength of approximately 38 MPa, and insect penetration-resistance of approximately 1200 g/m 2 (Dart test value).

1 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A storage apparatus, comprising:
 a top portion having a top wall portion;   a bottom portion having a bottom wall portion;   each of the top and bottom wall portions including a plurality of layers, the plurality of layers including at least an outer layer and an inner layer; and   a sealing mechanism for coupling the top and bottom portions to form a hermetically sealed interior portion;   upon coupling, the top and bottom portions form a self-supporting storage structure for hermetic storage of at least one commodity in the interior portion.   
     
     
         27 . The apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein the sealing mechanism includes a first portion positioned in the top wall portion and a second portion positioned in the bottom wall portion, the first and second portions are configured to be coupled to enable the top and bottom portions to form the hermetically sealed interior portion. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein the second portion is positioned at a predetermined height in the bottom wall portion. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein the inner layer is configured to contact the at least one commodity upon placement of the at least one commodity in the interior portion. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein the plurality of layers includes at least three layers. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein the plurality of layers are configured to be joined using at least one of the following: tie, bonding, co-extrusion, lamination, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein the plurality of layers includes at least one intermediate layer disposed between the inner layer and the outer layer. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein the self-supporting structure is formed using the plurality of layers in the top and bottom portions. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein the plurality of layers include at least one layer having a photosynthetically active radiation resistance. 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein at least one of layer in the plurality of layers includes at least one of the following layer materials: plastic, polyethylene, nylon, octene, metallocene, polyamide, ethylene vinyl-alcohol, linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), linear medium density polyethylene (LMDPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), butene LLDPE C4, butene LLDPE C6, butene LLDPE C8, metallocene, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         36 . The apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein at least one of: at least one layer in the plurality of layers and the plurality of layers has a thickness in at least one of the following ranges: 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm, 10 micrometers to 50 micrometers, 70 micrometers to 100 micrometers, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         37 . The apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein at least one of: at least one layer in the plurality of layers and the plurality of layers has a weight of material in a range of 100 g/m 2  to 300 g/m 2 . 
     
     
         38 . The apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein at least one of: at least one layer in the plurality of layers and the plurality of layers has a penetration resistance of at least 1000 g/m 2 . 
     
     
         39 . The apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein at least one of: at least one layer in the plurality of layers and the plurality of layers has an oxygen transmission rate of less than 3 cc/m 2 /day. 
     
     
         40 . The apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein at least one of: at least one layer in the plurality of layers and the plurality of layers has a water vapor transmission rate of less than 8 cc/m 2 /day. 
     
     
         41 . The apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein at least one layer in the plurality of layers includes at least one of the following: a titanium dioxide, a hindered amine light stabilizer, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         42 . The apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein a thickness of at least one layer in the plurality of layers is greater than a thickness of at least another layer in the plurality of layers. 
     
     
         43 . The apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein the sealing mechanism is a gas-tight sealing mechanism. 
     
     
         44 . The apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein the interior portion is configured to store between 1 tonnes to 1000 tonnes of the at least one commodity. 
     
     
         45 . The apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein the at least one commodity is at least one dry commodity. 
     
     
         46 . A method, comprising:
 forming a top portion having a top wall portion;   forming a bottom portion having a bottom wall portion, each of the top and bottom wall portions being formed using a plurality of layers, the plurality of layers including at least an outer layer and an inner layer; and   forming a sealing mechanism for coupling the top and bottom portions to form a hermetically sealed interior portion, wherein the sealing mechanism includes a first portion positioned in the top wall portion and a second portion positioned in the bottom wall portion, the first and second portions are configured to be coupled to enable the top and bottom portions to form the hermetically sealed interior portion;   wherein upon coupling, the top and bottom portions are configured to form a self-supporting storage structure configured for hermetic storage of at least one commodity in the interior portion.   
     
     
         47 . The method according to  claim 46 , further comprising positioning the second portion at a predetermined height in the bottom wall portion. 
     
     
         48 . The method according to  claim 46 , further comprising forming the plurality of layers by joining at least two layers. 
     
     
         49 . The method according to  claim 46 , further comprising forming the plurality of layers by joining at least three layers. 
     
     
         50 . The method according to  claim 46 , further comprising forming the plurality of layers by joining layers in the plurality of layers using at least one of the following: tie, bonding, co-extrusion, lamination, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         51 . The method according to  claim 46 , wherein the plurality of layers includes at least one intermediate layer disposed between the inner layer and the outer layer. 
     
     
         52 . The method according to  claim 46 , wherein the self-supporting structure is formed using the plurality of layers in the top and bottom portions. 
     
     
         53 . The method according to  claim 46 , wherein the plurality of layers include at least one layer having a photosynthetically active radiation resistance. 
     
     
         54 . The method according to  claim 46 , wherein at least one of layer in the plurality of layers includes at least one of the following layer materials: plastic, polyethylene, nylon, octene, metallocene, polyamide, ethylene vinyl-alcohol, linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), linear medium density polyethylene (LMDPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), butene LLDPE C4, butene LLDPE C6, butene LLDPE C8, metallocene, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         55 . The method according to  claim 46 , wherein at least one of: at least one layer in the plurality of layers and the plurality of layers has a thickness in at least one of the following ranges: 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm, 10 micrometers to 50 micrometers, 70 micrometers to 100 micrometers, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         56 . The method according to  claim 46 , wherein at least one of: at least one layer in the plurality of layers and the plurality of layers has a weight of material in a range of 100 g/m 2  to 300 g/m 2 . 
     
     
         57 . The method according to  claim 46 , wherein at least one of: at least one layer in the plurality of layers and the plurality of layers has a penetration resistance of at least 1000 g/m 2 . 
     
     
         58 . The method according to  claim 46 , wherein at least one of: at least one layer in the plurality of layers and the plurality of layers has an oxygen transmission rate of less than 3 cc/m 2 /day. 
     
     
         59 . The method according to  claim 46 , wherein at least one of: at least one layer in the plurality of layers and the plurality of layers has a water vapor transmission rate of less than 8 cc/m 2 /day. 
     
     
         60 . The method according to  claim 46 , wherein at least one layer in the plurality of layers includes at least one of the following: a titanium dioxide, a hindered amine light stabilizer, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         61 . The method according to  claim 46 , wherein a thickness of at least one layer in the plurality of layers is greater than a thickness of at least another layer in the plurality of layers. 
     
     
         62 . The method according to  claim 46 , wherein the sealing mechanism is a gas-tight sealing mechanism.