LABORATORY RESEARCH INTO SCREW FEEDER FOR SOWING GRAIN SEEDS

Abstract

The article presents the results of laboratory research into an experimental screw feeder conducted in order to optimize the proposed design, which influences the improvement of the quality of sowing grain seeds. The relevance of the study is due to the improved quality of sowing grain seeds because of the development of a new type of screw feeder and the justification of its design and operating parameters. The main indicator characterizing the quality of sowing is the uneven seed distribution along the length of the row, since this indicator directly affects the yield of the cultivated crop. Conducting a multifactor experiment allowed us to find the optimal values of the outer diameter of the screw helix, pitch of the screw helix, and screw rotation frequency, at which the coefficient of variation of the uneven seed distribution along the row was the smallest. In coded and decoded form, the second order regression equations are presented, which establish the dependence of the coefficient of variation on the abovementioned screw feeder factors. A new type of screw feeder, capable of stacking grain seeds evenly, has been designed and manufactured. Screw feeder was installed and tested in laboratory conditions, based on generally accepted methods in accordance with regulatory standards.

Keywords

• uneven seed distribution along the row
• design and operating parameters
• sowing quality
• screw feeder
• grain crops