Design and Performance Evaluation of Canola-Seed Cleaning Machine

Canola cleaning machine was designed depending upon the mechanical and aerodynamic separation theories. The designed machine was tested at three levels of cylindrical sieve angle 4, 7, and 10 degree and three levels of flat sieve speed 0.62, 0.88, and 1.08 m s-1. The evaluation criteria included machine productivity (MP), cleaning efficiency (CE), percentage of seed losses (Psl), specific consumed energy (Ec), and germination percentage (Gp). The results showed that the maximum values of MP and CE were 680.14 kg h-1 and 99.85 % respectively. While the minimum value of Ec was 5.88 kW h ton-1. These values were achieved at cylindrical sieve slope angle 7 degree and flat sieve speed 0.88 m s-1. Under these working conditions, the values of MP, Ec and CE were 680.14 kg h-1, 5.88 kWh ton-1, and 99.85%, respectively. Thus, the designed machine can be used with enough confidence to clean the canola seeds at cylindrical sieve slope angle 7 degree and flat sieve speed 0.88 m s-1.