Study of the separation of pumpkin seeds on a new pneumatic separator

The aim of the work is to increase the efficiency of the technological process of separating melon and vegetable seeds with a pneumatic separator. In the course of work, we divided pumpkin seeds on a new pneumatic separator into two and three fractions. 10 light, medium and heavy seeds were taken for experiments. When these seeds were divided into two fractions, the seeds of the first fraction stuck to the working surface and, having risen, fell into the receiving tray, while the seeds of the second fraction went into the seed receptacle for the heavy fraction without being sucked. The average vacuum force on the working surface was 65 Pa, the drum rotation speed was 16 rpm. To divide the seeds into three fractions, the working surface of the separator and the receiving tray were divided into 2 sectors with a vacuum force on the sectors of 55 and 70 Pa. Light seeds were sucked on the first sector, medium seeds on the second, and heavy seeds fell into the seed receptacle without being sucked. According to the results of the study, when seeds were divided into two fractions with three repetitions, 9 out of 10 light seeds, 7.33 medium and 3.33 heavy seeds fell into the first fraction, the rest fell into the second. According to the result of separating the seeds into three fractions, on average 7.33 out of 10 from light seeds, 3.67 medium and 1.67 heavy seeds fell into the first fraction. The second fraction included 2.33 light seeds, 5.33 medium seeds and 3.33 heavy seeds. And in the third fraction, on average, 0.33 light seeds, one medium and 5 heavy seeds fell. The separation method under study proved to be a working one. By adjusting the force of the vacuum and leveling it on the work surface, significant improvements in separation quality can be achieved. Key words: separation, pumpkin seeds, seed fractions, vacuum force, mass o