Parameters of Pneumatic Calibrator of Grain Moth Eggs for Trichogramma Production

Abstract The aim of the work is to increase the efficiency of the biotechnological process of Trichogramma production by improving the pneumatic calibrator of grain moth eggs. The trajectory of grain moth eggs movement in horizontal air flow of the pneumatic calibrator, taking into account the equivalent diameter, as well as the initial velocity, is determined. The size and location of containers, height of the separation chamber and valve, and air flow velocity in the calibrator are substantiated. The obtained analytical dependencies allow us to determine the height of vertical channel of the stabilizing nozzle depending on the initial conditions of movement and the equivalent diameter of an egg. The hovering rate of grain moth eggs and conglomerates (depending on the number of eggs in them) is experimentally determined. Optimal values of the structural and technological parameters of the improved pneumatic calibrator (air flow velocity 3.8 m s−1, height of separation chamber 198–199 mm, valve height 26–27 mm) are determined on the basis of the experimental design planning methodology. The probability of selecting large eggs is increasing by 31%.