Mathematical model of cleaning potatoes on surface of spiral separator

Abstract

Cleaning potato tubers from soil impurities and plant debris after digging them out of soil is a topical problem in the work process of potato production. Therefore, the engineer ing of new designs of potato heap separators necessitates the further studying of them and the optimisation of their kinematic and design parameters, which must not only ensure the high quality of cleaning, but also rule out the possibility of damaging the tubers. The aim of this study is to determine the design and kinematic parameters of the improved design of the spiral potato separator, which will ensure the high quality of cleaning and rule out the possibility of damaging the tubers, on the basis of th e development of the new theory of potato tuber’s motion on the surface of the separator. An analytical study has been carried out resulting in the construction of the equivalent schematic model of the interaction between the potato tuber and separator, th e tuber being approximated by a material point on the surface formed by the two cantilevered spirals, which are the separator’s tools. The separator’s spirals are driven to rotate and at the same time they can perform oscillations in the vertical and axial plane under the action of the varying load generated by the continuous feeding of the potato heap for separation. In the model, the forces acting on the potato tuber’s body are applied to it, the coordinate axes that have been selected and appropriately o riented are shown. A system of equations has been set up for the constructed equivalent schematic model, comprising three differential equations of the potato tuber body’s motion on the surface of the trough formed by the two cantilevered spirals. The dete rmined kinematic and design parameters will allow to raise the quality of cleaning potato tubers from soil impurities and plant debris. .