Results of Laboratory Studies of Soil Sifting in a Rod Elevator with Asymmetric Arrangement of Web Agitators and Adjustable Elevator Apron Angle

Introduction. An increase in crop production from the growing area of both vegetable root crops and all agricultural products results in grows of the load on the machine-technology complex when harvesting. The reason is that in the structure of machine-technological complexes there are not devices providing the qualitative screening of the heap incoming for processing. The purpose of the study is to identify the areas with the minimum value of soil screening on the rod elevator surface depending on the elevator apron angle and to develop recommendations and proposals for improving the separation quality. Materials and Methods. The article describes the methodology and results of laboratory studies of rod elevators with an asymmetric arrangement of web agitators and an adjustable elevator apron angle to determine the soil screening quality on its surface. We used the method of comprehensive assessment of the quality and stability of technological operations based on quantitative optimization criteria. Results. The highest value of the screened soil weight is at the wavelength attenuation section of the rod elevator working branch 1,020 mm cause by action of the elliptical web agitator at an elevation angle of 5 gon. Discussion and Conclusion. The rod elevator with asymmetric arrangement of web agitators and adjustable elevator apron angle increases the soil screening quality along the entire length of the elevator apron by 10 %, and therefore increases the completeness of separation of root crops from soil impurities.