Optimization on parameters of collecting and sorting device for discarded poultry eggshells and eggshell membranes

Abstract

Objective: To efficiently exploited the discarded eggshells and eggshell membranes. Methods: The discarded eggshells was separated and collected. Used Fluent and EDEM coupling simulation to study the flow field characteristic and particles trajectory, which affected by structure parameters such as upper outlet diameter and lower outlet diameter of the collecting barrel. By analyzing flow field characteristic and capture rate of eggshells as well as eggshell membranes, the size of collecting barrel was optimized. The top angle, the vacuum of suction machine, the feeding inlet air velocity, the solid load of feeding inlet were used as the test factors. The recovery rates of eggshells and eggshell membranes were used as the two evaluation indexes. The experiments of collecting eggshells and eggshell membranes were performed and optimized. Results: The simulation showed that an appropriate decrease of the diameter of the upper and lower outlets will lead to more loss pressure drop in the cylinder, and increase the tangential velocity in the cylinder. When the upper outlet diameter was 0.4D (D is the diameter of the cylinder) and the lower outlet diameter was 0.5D, the capture rate of eggshells and eggshell membranes was the highest. The test results showed when the cyclone top angle was 45°, the solid load rate was 1 000 g/s, the feeding inlet air velocity was 4.64 m/s, the vacuum of suction machine was 336.61 Pa, the eggshell membranes recovery rate was 92.94%, and the eggshells recovery rate was 97.90%. Conclusion: The vacuum of suction machine and the feeding inlet air velocity mainly affect the flow field in the collecting barrel, and the solid load will cause different interactions between materials. After the experiment and simulation analysis of the factors that affect the collecting effects, the optimal level combination of factors is obtained. With the combination of these factors, the recovery rates of eggshell and eggshell membrane are higher, and the collecting device has a good effect.

Keywords

• poultry egg
• eggshell
• eggshell membrane
• cyclone collection