Theoretical studies of the ellipsoidal-shaped particles’ behaviourin the channel of pneumo-electric separator bumping into its walls

It is widely known that during the post-harvest handling of a number of crops pneumatic separators are often used. It is proved that in order to improve separation process by using an air flow becomes possible through the use in the separation channels an electric field of corona discharge as additional working body. The electric field makes an additional force effect on the particles of the separated mixture. Since the seeds of cultivated plants and weeds belong to different species, their electrical properties interact with the working bodies of pneumatic separators in different ways that enables quality improvement of seed mixtures separation. We consider the ellipsoidal particles’ behaviour under the influence of gravity, electric power and air flow in pneumo-electric separator channel taking into account their bumping into the walls. We also worked out the differential equations that reflect the mathematical model of the particles under the totality of these forces. This model describes the movement of particles in the pneumo-electric separator channel and allows at any time to calculate the coordinates of trajectories. Based on their analysis we can explore the influence of the controlled process parameters on the pneumo-electric separation and determine their optimal parameters under which the separation of the investigated seed mixtures is the most effective and the components of which are of ellipsoid shape.