Rotatable Distribution Disc for Grain Cleaner Trajectory Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing grain cleaning devices face inefficiencies in separating grains from chaff and tailings due to limitations in trajectory control and air stream directionality, leading to incomplete separation and potential re-routing of unprocessed material.
Innovation Solution
A grain cleaner with a rotatable distribution disc and adjustable fan speed generates a horizontal trajectory for crop material, combined with a laminar air stream to separate grains from chaff and tailings, utilizing distinct collection chutes for efficient separation based on weight and aerodynamics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If a fan is used to blow away material other than grain, then chaff removal is improved, but grain loss may increase due to improper trajectory control
Solution Approach 1:
The distribution disc is made rotatable to dynamically adjust the trajectory of crop material. By rotating the disc, the system can control the horizontal trajectory of material away from the central axis, allowing the fan to effectively remove chaff while preventing grain loss through proper trajectory management.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates different trajectories for different materials by using the rotatable distribution disc. Grain and chaff are given different horizontal trajectories, allowing the fan to selectively remove chaff while grain follows a different path that prevents it from being blown away.
2Productivity
If the distribution disc rotates to impart horizontal trajectory, then separation efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The distribution disc serves multiple functions: it distributes crop material from the inlet chute, imparts horizontal trajectory to material, and enables separation of grain from chaff. By making this single component multi-functional, the system achieves improved separation efficiency without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
3Productivity
If air stream velocity is increased to improve chaff removal, then cleaning performance is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fan speed is made adjustable to dynamically optimize the balance between cleaning performance and energy consumption. The system can adapt air stream velocity to the actual cleaning needs, using higher velocity only when necessary for effective chaff removal while consuming less energy during normal operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables effective separation of grains from chaff and tailings by controlling the trajectory and air stream velocity independently, ensuring high cleaning performance and efficiency with adjustable settings for optimal grain collection.
Implementation Method 1
a distribution disc rotatable relative to the inlet chute about a vertical central axis to impart a horizontal trajectory, away from the central axis, to crop material supplied to the distribution disc from the inlet chute
Implementation Method 2
A fan is operable to generate an air stream from below the crop distribution member through an air supply channel on a radially inner side of the tailings collection chute, across the horizontal trajectory
Implementation Method 3
separate grains from chaff and tailings by controlling the trajectory and air stream velocity independently, ensuring high cleaning performance
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4
AI summary
An agricultural grain cleaner includes an inlet chute (124) having an inlet end (126) and an outlet end (128) positioned below the inlet end. A crop distribution member (132) is positioned adjacent the outlet end of the inlet chute. The crop distribution member (132) includes a distribution disc rotatable relative to the inlet chute about a vertical central axis to impart a horizontal trajectory, away from the central axis, to crop material supplied to the distribution disc from the inlet chute. A fan (160) is operable to generate an air stream from below the crop distribution member, across the horizontal trajectory, to an air-chaff outlet. A grain collection chute has an inlet to receive grain that is cleaned of chaff by the air stream. A tailings collection chute (172) is positioned adjacent to the grain collection chute on a radially inner side thereof.