Optimization of operating parameters of grinding grain material using the example of a small-sized installation for liquid feed preparation

Abstract

In each feed preparation operation, there are a number of problematic situations that need to be addressed. Thus, when crushing grain materials, it is often difficult to achieve a high uniformity index. The reason lies in too long time spent by the crushed material in the working organ of grinding machines which leads to over-grinding, and subsequently, to a decrease in the digestibility of such feed by farm animals. The above problems may be solved by using feed preparation equipment where the process of grinding feed ingredients is carried out in a liquid medium. The research goal is to identify the conditions for increasing the efficiency of the process of obtaining feed mixtures in feed preparation equipment with a working body dismembrator by optimizing its operating parameters. The main problems arising in the implementation of feed preparation operations during preparation of feed mixtures from grain material are defined. A technical solution has been proposed that allows reducing the amount of equipment used in the preparation of liquid feed mixtures by using an original working organ - a dismembrator which allows simultaneously grinding, mixing and heating the mixture in a liquid medium. A software application has been developed that allows conducting virtual experiments to solve the optimization problem of selecting operating parameters (the gap between the rotor and the stator, and the angular speed of rotation of the rotor) using the example of a small-sized feed preparation plant. Calculations of optimal operating parameters for four grain crops most often used in the preparation of liquid feed mixtures have been carried out. A graphical representation of the calculated parameters is constructed showing that when grinding a material with a large grain size, such as peas, it is necessary to increase the gap between the rotor and the stator. The load on the gear elements increases at the same time, therefore the rotor speed increases. When grinding a material with a smaller grain size (barley and durum wheat), the values of the above parameters decrease.