Modeling Separation Process for Sunflower Seed Mixture on Vibro-Pneumatic Separators

Aim of the research is to increase the efficiency of the mechanical and technological process of separation of sunflower seed mixture on vibro-pneumatic separators, the principle of which is based on the interaction of seed flow with the surface having fluctuation-type vibration load by substantiating their efficient processing and technological parameters. A system of differential equations of sunflower seeds motions, as a granular gas, under the action of a vibrating surface was developed, taking into account the elastic-damping interaction and physical and mechanical properties of seeds. The presented system of differential equations is the basis of the physical and mathematical means of numerical modeling of this process, which was implemented in the software package STAR-CCM +. To build physical and mathematical models, it was assumed that sunflower seeds are presented in the form of ellipsoids with a certain density and effective diameter. As a result of numerical simulation of the process of moving sunflower seeds under the action of a vibrating sieve, dependences of the change in total concentration θ and productivity q on seed supply Q, sieve angle α, sieve frequency ψ and sieve amplitude A were obtained. As a result of numerical simulation of the process of moving sunflower seeds under the action of a vibrating surface, dependences of the change of filling factor χ, distribution coefficient δ and productivity q on seed supply Q, vibration surface angles α and β, oscillation frequency ψ, oscillation amplitude A and set air velocity V were obtained. Theoretical provisions were implemented and tested in the development of an adaptive vibrating screen separator of sunflower seeds (Ukrainian patent #120235).