Development and evaluation of tribo- aero- electrostatic for impurity separation from plant seeds (flixweed)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Abstract

Seed purification is one of the important agricultural processes to obtain high quality seeds. Using modern technologies help producers to do this process with higher precision and accuracy. In order to separate seed impurities, a separation machine called Tribo-aero-electrostatic separator was designed. The machine was evaluated by separating impurities of Flixweed (Descuriania Sophia). Primary laboratory tests showed its high efficiency. Initial materials were separated in tribo-charge part by gravity and electrostatic force produced by high DC voltage. To evaluate the system performance statistically, the effects of voltage, distance between the tribo-charge electrodes and electrode angle of separation unit were investigated with three replications on the weight of separation boxes. This experiment was performed as a CRD- based factorial design and the data were analyzed using SAS software. The results indicated that the effects of all factors on the weight of purified seed and impurities in collecting boxes were significant at 1% confidence level. In addition, interactions of almost all factors in collecting boxes were significant at 1% level. By increasing applied voltage and electrode angle, and decreasing the electrode distance, best seed purity with the highest weight was obtained in the pure seed box.

Keywords

Main Subjects


Aman, F. Morar, R. Kohnlechner, R. Samuila, A. & Dascalescu, L. (2004). High-voltage electrode position: a key factor of electrostatic separation efficiency. Journal of IEEE Transactions. on Industry Applications, 40(3), 905 – 910.
Bendimerad, S. E., Tilmatine, A., Karim Medles, K., Miloudi, M., Brahami, Y. & Dascalescu, L. (2013). Robustness testing of a free-fall triboelectric separation process for plastic waste recovery. Journal of Sustainable Engineering. 7(4), 284-292.
Dascalescu, L., Fati, O., Dragan, C., Radu, M., Calin, L. & Samuila, A. (2009). Tribo-aero-electrostatic Separation of ABS and ABS-PC from Granular Waste Electric and Electronic Equipment. France.
Dodbiba, G., Shibayama, A.,  Miazaki, T. & Fujita, T. (2003). Triboelectrostatic separation of ABS, PS and PP plastic mixture. Journal of  Transactions. 44 , 161–166.
Iuga, A., Calin, L., Neamtu, V., Mihalcioiu, A. & Dascalescu, L. (2005). Tribocharging of plastics granulates in a fluidized bed device. Journal of Electrostatics, 63, 937 – 942.
Hemery, Y., Holopainen, U., Lampi, A. M., Lehtinen, P., Nurmi, T., Piironen, V., Edelmann, M. & Rouau, X. (2011). Potential of dry fractionation of wheat bran for the development of food ingredients, part II: Electrostatic separation of particles. Journal of Cereal Science 53: 9-18.
Kaufman, J.G. (2000) Introduction to Aluminum Alloys and Tempers. ASM International.
Kawamoto, H. (2008). Some techniques on electrostatic separation of particle size utilizing electrostatic traveling-wave field. Journal of Electrostatics 66: 220-228.
Knooll, F. S. & Taylor, J. B. (1984). Advanced in Electrostatic Separation. In: SME Preprint. 21, 84 – 71.
Leonov, V. S. (1984). Divisibility Criteria During Electrical Separation. 4, 47-49.
Li, T. X., Ban, H., Hower, J. C., Stencel, J. M. & Sario, K. (1999). Dry Triboelectrostatic Separation of Mineral Particles: A Potential Application in Space Exploration. Journal of electrostatics. 47, 133 – 142.
McDonald, M. B. &  Copeland, L. O. (1997) Seed Production: Principles and Practices. International Thomson Publishing. New York.
Moore, A. D. (1973) Electrostatics and its Applications. New York: Wiely.
Nayfeh, M. H. &  Brussel, M. K. (1985). Electricity and magnetism. New York: Wiley
Park, C. H. & Jeon, H. S. (2009). Triboelectrostatic Separation for Recycling of Seaweed-Drying Net Frame Plastic Wastes. Journal of Materials Transactions, 50(3), 644 – 649.
Rahou, F., Tilmatine, A., Bilici, M. & Dascalescu, L. (2013). Numerical Simulation of the Continuous Operation of a Tribo-aero-electrostatic Separator for Mixed Granular Solids. Journal of Electrostatic, 71(5), 867–874.
Ralston, O. C. (1961). Electrostatic Separation of Mixed Granular Solids. Journal of Elsevier, Amsterdam.
Saeki, M. (2010). Triboelectric separation of binary plastic mixture. Journal of Engineering and Technology, 47, 922.
Tilmatine, A. & Bendimerad, S. (2009). Plastic wastes recovery using electrostatic forces. Journal of Springer. 4(4), 446–450.
Vaughan, C. & Delouche, J. (1967). Seed Processing and Handling. Missury Agricultural press. Handbook. USA.
Ward, D. D. (1999). Electrostatic Discharge. In: Proceedings IEE Seminar on The How sand Whys of EMC Design, 41 – 48.
Xin-xi, Z., Dai-yon, D., Bing, T., Jin-song, W., Feng, D., Hai-sheng, L. & Rui-xin, M. (2009). Research on the triboelectrostatic separation of minerals from coal. Journal of  Procedia Earth and Planetary Science, 1, 845 – 850.