The results of the experimental study of onions separation using a rod elevator with asymmetric installed burners

Introduction. Existing machines for harvesting root crops and onions do not have efficient indicators describing separation of root crops that leads to incompliance with agrotechnical requirements to harvesting root crops. New methods should be found to increase quality of root crop separation, including the qualitative indicators, and to cut losses. Materials and Methods. The article describes the design of a laboratory unit for determining qualitative indicators of the seed onion heap separation using a rod elevator with the asymmetric passive elliptical shaker and supporting roller. The authors describe the method and results of laboratory studies to determine qualitative indicators of seed onion heap separation at an experimental rod elevator. Results. The results of the laboratory study of the rod elevator are cited and qualitative indices of seed onion heap separation are defined. The maximum completeness of separation of the seed onion heap is 98 %, when the forward speed of the web of the rod elevator is vel = 1.55-1.68 m/s, the supply of heap of onion-seeding QB = 19.7-27.1 kg/s and the interaxial distance between the passive elliptical shaker and the supporting roller is within the range of S = 0.29-0.42 m. Discussion and Conclusion. The use of a rod elevator with the asymmetric elliptical shakers and supporting roller allows increasing the completeness of separation of seed onions by 20 % and to cut the bulb damage by 11 %, compared to symmetrical arrangement of the shakers.