No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

Aims: The aim of this study was to economically compare the method that could semi-mechanized bagging and the method that uses human labor. Methods and Results: For this reason, a Prototype Pneumatic Peanut Bagging Machine powered by tractor PTO shaft was designed, manufactured and used, which conveys peanut pods from the ground using aspirated air and fill the product into the bags. As a result of the cost analysis made within the scope of the study, the cost of bagging using human labor costs 7.2 $ t-1, and the prototype bagging machine costs 9.6 $ t-1. It was determined that an average of 2.5% loss occurs due to crushing while the bags were filled with human labor. In a day of work, 15 tons of products were generally bagged and loaded on a truck. In this case, approximately 375 kg of product was lost. The shelled peanut price was approximately 1.6 $ kg-1 in 2019. The approximate monetary value of the 375 kg lost product was $600. This loss should be taken into account when evaluating both bagging methods in terms of costs. Conclusions: Bagging with a prototype machine was found to be more profitable than bagging using human labor. Significance and Impact of the Study: In terms of mechanization in the cultivation and harvesting of peanuts was no problem but some post-harvest processes (especially bagging) still require a large amount of human labor and has such as some basic problems with peanut bagging. Due to lean working and dusty environment, there was a difficult and tiring working situation in terms of occupational health. Thus was getting more and more difficult to find workers for this heavy work conditions. In addition, the shovel or canister used in bagging breaks the peanut shells and causes losses.

Aim of study: Size classification is essential in many industrial processes. Most classical sorting systems use vibrations as a means of classification function. In this study, a vibration-free sorting system called helical cylindrical screen has been developed against the disadvantages of vibrating systems and proposed to be used in the sorting of crop seeds.Area of study: Adana City, Turkey.Material and methods: The movement of the seed mass on the screen surface was formulated and the mass movement along the circular-helical paths was analytically expressed, leading to some operational parameters for evaluation in the screen design. By combining the mass movement parameters with effective separation conditions, an algorithm was obtained against the desired mass flow rate to determine the appropriate values of the design parameters. Experiments were performed on the machine, which was manufactured to sort peanut seeds into two different sizes, small and large.Main results: The results obtained in the experiments (separation efficiency, mass flow rate, effect of grain size on separation efficiency and equilibrium angle) were compared with the theoretical ones. The separation efficiency of the machine (99% and above) was quite good and is not affected at all by the small size ratio contained in the mixtures. The limitations of the theoretical velocities (axis and tangent) of a seed moving on the cylindrical sieve were found to be consistent with those obtained experimentally.Research highlights: The helical cylindrical sieve can be used for other particulate agricultural products with smooth surfaces such as soybeans, kidney beans, peas, etc.