Use of saline solutions for the isolation of ergot of rye grain

Abstract

Bunker grain heap delivered from combine harvesters to postharvest processing items is a blend of full grain, weeds and harmful impurities, which include ergot sclerotia. Using air-sieve-indented machines, pneumatic sorting tables, sorter and other devices do not give positive results when cleaning the grain material from impurities ergot because of the proximity of their physical and mechanical properties. Selection of ergot sclerotia from seed on their specific weight may be done in salt solutions. To develop cleaning machine grain material from ergot sclerotia on the specific weight of the wet process and the implementation process with the proper performance studied for the preparation of salt solutions required density. The solubility in water of potassium chloride (KCl), sodium chloride (NaCl) and calcium chloride (CaCl2) allow to bring the mud density to 1162, 1203 and 1370 kg/m3, respectively, higher than the maximum specific gravity sclerotia ergot equal to 1150 kg/m3. The density of the aqueous solution of potassium sulfate (K2SO4) is below the maximum specific gravity of ergot sclerotia, which limits the possibility of its use for the isolation of ergot. We obtain a graph of the mass of salt water volume 0.1...1.0 liters for the preparation of sodium chloride solution (of NaCl), calcium chloride (of CaCl2) and potassium chloride (KCl), which are expressed by linear equations, suitable for practical use, allow quickly determine the required weight of the salt solution in the preparation of the required density by recalculating a multiple of the required volume of water.

Keywords

• grain material
• winter rye
• cereals
• ergot
• a poisonous impurity
• grain cleaning machine
• the specific weight of the grain
• salt solution