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The paper highlights a lack of machines and equipment capable of cleaning highly impure soybean material efficiently and productively. Most of the existing grain cleaning machines are designed for the materials conforming to GOST 17109-88 that specifies weed and oilseed impurity contents of 2 and 6 percent, respectively. In reality, a typical soybean post-harvest waste often contains 20 to 60 percent of material unsuitable for extracting raw protein, that makes this type of material completely non–separable for this type of machine. (Research purpose) The research aims to determine the optimal efficiency of separating heterogeneous bulk mixtures in a vertically ascending air channel. (Materials and methods) To accomplish this, the authors employed a rotary batch classifier RBK 30 and a prototype sample of a precision air classifier PAC with column air flow accelerators. The paper defines impurity separation completeness and soybean waste separation efficiency in a novel pneumatic classifier, considering the accelerator thickness and the height above the processed material. (Results and discussion) The findings reveal that traditional pneumatic channels achieve no more than 20 percent of separation efficiency for highly impure soybean material, while the precision air classifier demonstrates approximately a 45 percent separation. (Conclusions) Typical air flow machines struggle with high impurity of material. The separation efficiency of highly impure material can be enhanced by equalizing the air flow velocity inside and above the layer of the separated material and installing a core air flow accelerator. The study indicates that the material being processed can be separated by air flow, provided a specialized pneumatic separation channel is used. Due to the ratio of the core accelerator height and the height above the material, the air flow velocity inside and above the separated layer is equalized.

The aim of the research is to determine ways to improve the efficiency of grain materials pneumatic separation based on the study of the interaction mechanism of grains with the air flow in the channel elements, which are inclined sections of the air duct. The paper considers a modified separation method that separates the grain material according to the aerodynamic properties of the components in a vertical zigzag air channel in an aerodynamic and gravitational field. The studies were carried out by means of mathematical modeling followed by experimental confirmation of the modeling results. A computer mathematical model was created in the MathCad 13 application package to determine the parameters of the zigzag aspiration channel. This model describes the influx of parameters in the channel (width, height, cut of the zigzag ledge to the horizon, edge of the zigzag ledge) on the nature of the grain trajectory. As a result of the numerical simulation process using the mathematical package Mathematica, dependence was obtained to determine the trajectory of motion depending on the angular velocity. An increase in the pneumatic separation effect during the grain mixtures division due to the influence of the Magnus effect was established as a result of experimental studies. The design of a zigzag separator with an annular channel section has been improved based of the research carried out.

It is shown that scientifi c research into the intensifi cation of soybean seed separation processes is necessary for developing new type purifi cation technologies that eliminate the shortcomings of traditional machines, as well as achieving more favorable technical and economic indicators of grain cleaning equipment. (Research purpose) To substantiate the design parameters of a cleaning and sorting plant for highly efficient separation of soybean seeds. (Materials and methods) We used a developed prototype model of the plant for cleaning soybean seeds, consisting of a gravity column and a pneumatic cleaning and sorting channel. The number of combs in the gravity column and the gap between the comb bars were substantiated. Subject to different supply of material, the completeness of separating a large impurity was determined in a gravity column, a light impurity – in the first section of the channel, soybean halves – in the second section of the channel, small and puny soybean seeds – in the third one. (Results and discussion) The optimal number of combs for the gravity column was set to 10 pieces with a gap between the comb bars of 10 millimeters, thus providing the separation effi ciency of 99.3 percent. It was obtained that the optimal ratio between the width of the narrowing partition and the 50-millimeters depth of the channel section equals 0.37. The width of the narrowing partitions was calculated to be 55.5 millimeters; the optimal supply of soybeans is 2.5 tons per hour, thus providing the separation completeness in the gravity column of no less than 95 percent, and that in the pneumatic channel of no less than 98 percent. (Conclusions) It was determined that the intensifi cation of the soybean seed separation process is possible by the combined use of a gravity column and a pneumatic separating device, which can increase the productivity and effi ciency of soybean cleaning by 20 percent or more.

The aim of the research is to determine ways to improve the efficiency of grain materials pneumatic separation based on the study of the interaction mechanism of grains with the air flow in the channel elements, which are inclined sections of the air duct. The paper considers a modified separation method that separates the grain material according to the aerodynamic properties of the components in a vertical zigzag air channel in an aerodynamic and gravitational field. The studies were carried out by means of mathematical modeling followed by experimental confirmation of the modeling results. A computer mathematical model was created in the MathCad 13 application package to determine the parameters of the zigzag aspiration channel. This model describes the influx of parameters in the channel (width, height, cut of the zigzag ledge to the horizon, edge of the zigzag ledge) on the nature of the grain trajectory. As a result of the numerical simulation process using the mathematical package Mathematica, dependence was obtained to determine the trajectory of motion depending on the angular velocity. An increase in the pneumatic separation effect during the grain mixtures division due to the influence of the Magnus effect was established as a result of experimental studies. The design of a zigzag separator with an annular channel section has been improved based of the research carried out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The possibilities of the action of uneven air flows on the grain material in the separating channels are still not used enough. The reason for this is the insufficient knowledge of the processes of interaction of the components of the grain material with an uneven air flow. The purpose of the research is to increase the efficiency of grain material separation according to aerodynamic properties by purposefully changing the diagram of air velocities in the channel sections using the actions of lateral and aerodynamic forces. The separation efficiency of grain material components was determined by trajectory analysis. The different geometry of the pneumatic separation channel was studied. The study of the distribution of air velocity and air pressure vectors in a vertical annular channel was carried out using the FlowVision software. It has been established that a change in the air velocity diagram can be implemented both by changing the geometric parameters of the channel and by additional distributed air supply through the perforation in the side walls of the pneumatic channel. Based on the analysis of the velocity field, an improved scheme of a pneumatic gravitational separator is proposed for separating grain material into three fractions according to aerodynamic characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Living machines are expected to expand the limits of silicon microtechnology. Vorticella convallaria is a ciliated protozoa and a promising linear actuator. The use of Vorticella as a Ca2+-responsive actuator, in a small system, requires a reduction in the size of the membrane treatment of selectively patterned Vorticella. However, selective cell patterning and the electrolysis of cell membranes have not yet been combined; therefore, the development of a combined method is essential. The objective of this study is to develop a method for combining selective cell patterning and the electrolysis of cell membranes. A two-layer pneumatic device was fabricated in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), and the device and electrodes were clamped with acrylic plates. The deformation of the PDMS membrane was controlled by compressed air. The electrochemical reactions were visualized with fluorescein, and the temporal pH change was evaluated. Vorticella cells were introduced into a microfluidic device and were captured in chambers at a pressure of 21 kPa. They were immobilized in the chambers after incubation for 6 h. Further, OH– was generated from the cathode by the electrolysis of water, and the bell-shaped bodies of Vorticella became spherical. This permeabilization treatment stopped both spontaneous contraction and cilia movement. The application of DC 3 V was sufficient for the electrolysis of Vorticella. Selective patterning and electrochemical membrane treatments are beneficial for facilitating the use of Vorticella as a Ca2+ responsive actuator in a small system.