Before the advent of electricity and cold storage systems, human beings managed to preserve food in a very efficient way. This is the case of the granaries, a kind of stilt houses typical of northwestern Spain that have been used since ancient times to store corn. In recent years, the restoration of these constructions has modified some of their characteristics and has tended to seal the cracks in the ground but, contrary to expectations, it seems that the changes do not improve the efficiency of the granary. A study by the University of Vigo has confirmed that the grooves in the soil are necessary for the correct conservation of corn .
The work has been published in the journal Energy and Buildings and by means of a mathematical model has obtained air flow patterns, thanks to which the fundamental role played by the slots in ventilation has been understood. The crevices reduce the temperature inside the hórreo and this is important since, if it increases too much, the corn begins to absorb the environmental humidity and rot, as those responsible for the investigation have indicated to the SINC agency.
For nine months the researchers have obtained data on the internal temperature of the granaries thanks to hygrometric sensors placed in them. The measurements have been made in the absence of corn load, but scientists believe that air circulation patterns should not vary much from one situation to another.
The study shows the efficiency of these constructions, which also require very little maintenance. Despite all current technologies, traditional methods can be a good source of inspiration to achieve our goals easily and at low cost.
