Substantiation of a new method for separation of bulk materials on a vibro-friction separator

The processes of separating bulk materials are an important component of processing, food, chemical, pharmaceutical industries, and agricultural production. This ensures the separation of components based on various characteristics, which is crucial for operations such as cleaning, sorting, or calibrating bulk materials. A new method for separating components of bulk materials based on a set of characteristics has been proposed and comprehensively substantiated. An analytical-experimental methodology was used for the research. A mathematical model of plane-parallel vibrational non-detached movement of components on an inclined non-perforated frictional vibrating plane was developed. In this model, the cross-section of particles is approximated by a figure representing a point mass, from which rays of finite length emanate uniformly in all directions. Based on the conducted studies of the vibrational movement of components, using the example of a bulk material of sugar beet seed mixture, the fundamental possibility of their separation was established. Significant factors of the process of separating bulk materials on a vibro-friction separator were analytically and experimentally determined: amplitude and frequency of oscillations, direction angle of oscillations, longitudinal and transverse tilt angles of the working body. The result of the research was the rational ranges of these separator parameters for the studied material, which produced high-quality fractions of bulk material. The efficiency of the proposed separator was: for seed material – an increase in conditioned seeds with high sowing properties. The proposed technical solution, developed calculation methodology, and rational parameters will allow intensifying the processes of separating bulk materials and increasing the efficiency of various technologies.