The productivity of most grain cleaning machines seems to be directly related to the efficiency of vertical pneumatic separation ducts. Nevertheless, improvement is accompanied by an increase in the load of the vertical duct, the design of which is limited by the width of the grain cleaning machines. This requires an increase in the thickness of the layer of grain mixture that enters the working area of the duct, which significantly worsens the conditions of separation of its components under the action of airflow. Particles of light impurities are unable to separate due to their retention by the grain medium. This reduces the quality of cleaning and requires appropriate scientific and technical solutions. The application of preliminary stratification of the granular mixture while increasing the concentration of light impurities in the top layer of the mixture seems to be a prospective method. The positive effect of the previous stratification on the intensity of redistribution of light impurity particles in the working zone has been theoretically considered and experimentally confirmed. Mathematical models were obtained to determine the trajectory of discussed particles, taking into account the previous stratification of mixtures, and the corresponding dependences were established. The influence of the initial coordination of the introduction of the particles of lightweight impurities, their sizes and densities, and technological and structural parameters of operation of the pneumatic separation duct were taken into account in the studies. The intensification of the process of cleaning grain from lightweight impurities in the working zones of pneumatic separation ducts of grain cleaning machines is theoretically substantiated.
The aim of the work was to produce wrapping films made of biodegradable polymer PLA (polylactide) and its modification in the form of a polymer mixture with additions of aluminosilicate – montmorillonite and anti-bacterial concentrate – SilverBatch nanosilver, followed by analysis of selected mechanical properties of these films. The assessment of mechanical properties included checking the tensile strength, as well as assessment of the degree of deformation of the film due to force and of the value of Young’s modulus measured. The results were analyzed statistically using such indicators as arithmetic mean and standard deviation.
Amongst the surface treatment technologies to emerge in the last few decades, UV-C radiation surface treatment is widely used in food process industries for the purpose of shelf life elongation, bacterial inactivation, and stimulation. However, the short wave application is highly dose-dependent and induces different properties of the product during exposure. Mechanical properties of the agricultural products and their derivatives represent the key indicator of acceptability by the end-user. This paper surveys the recent findings of the influence of UV-C on the stress response and physiological change concerning the mechanical and textural properties of miscellaneous agricultural products with a specific focus on a potato tuber. This paper also reviewed the hormetic effect of UV-C triggered at a different classification of doses studied so far on the amount of phenolic content, antioxidants, and other chemicals responsible for the stimulation process. The combined technologies with UV-C for product quality improvement are also highlighted. The review work draws the current challenges as well as future perspectives. Moreover, a way forward in the key areas of improvement of UV-C treatment technologies is suggested that can induce a favorable stress, enabling the product to achieve self-defense mechanisms against wound, impact, and mechanical damage.
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