Agrotechnical evaluation of the second aspiration of a universal grain cleaning machine

Following the modernization of the MPO-30R “Veles” grain cleaning machine, an expansion chamber was installed at the outlet of its pneumatic separation channel. As a result, the separator began operating in pre-cleaning, primary cleaning, and secondary cleaning modes, with the separation of the feed grain fraction occurring in the second aspiration system. A prototype of the upgraded machine was subsequently manufactured. This study aimed to evaluate the operational performance of the second aspiration system of the universal MPO-30R-01 “Veles” grain cleaning machine under real production conditions. The separator was installed as a pre-cleaning unit in the processing line of a grain cleaning and drying complex, with a seed-mode throughput capacity of up to 10 t/h. Agrotechnical evaluation of the second aspiration system was conducted during pre-cleaning of barley with a moisture content of 18.5% at a feed rate of 6.0 t/h. The initial material consisted of grain heap that had already undergone initial separation of light impurities in the pneumatic separation channel of the first aspiration system, as well as the removal of coarse and fine impurities on the corresponding screens. The results showed that when the MPO-30R-01 “Veles” machine with an expansion chamber was used in barley pre-cleaning mode, the feed grain sedimentation effect in the expansion chamber reached 97.3%. In the pneumatic separation channel of the second aspiration system, the light impurity separation effect was 61.7%, while the feed grain separation effect was 18.1%. Correspondingly, losses of sound grain to waste amounted to 0.002%, and losses of feed grain to waste amounted to 0.429%. The separated feed fraction, containing 78.30% feed grain and 13.23% sound grain, is suitable for use in animal feed preparation. The upgraded MPO-30R-01 “Veles” machine is recommended for use at post-harvest grain processing facilities as a universal grain cleaning unit.

1. Burkov A.I. Trends in development of air screen grain cleaners at present stage. Agricultural Science Euro-North-East. 2018;2(63):4-15. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.30766/2072-9081.2018.63.2.04-15

2. Bolotova N. Grain cleaning. Khleboprodukty. 2010;5:32-33. (In Russ.)

3. Timchenko A. Buhler elevator equipment: designing the customer’s success. Kombikorma. 2019;7-8:23-26. (In Russ.)

4. Glushkov A.L. Analysis of the design and technological process of grain cleaning machines operating on pneumatic fractional technology (review). Agricultural Science Euro-North-East. 2025;26(3):519-535. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.30766/2072-9081.2025.26.3.519-535

5. Ermakov A.I.1, Zelenko S.A. Improving the grain cleaning machine aspiration system. Vestnik Baranovichskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. Series: Tekhnicheskiye nauki. 2024;1(15):45-51. (In Russ.)

6. Ermakov A.I., Litvyak V.V., Roslyakov Yu.F. Study of the operation of the aspiration system of the universal grain cleaning machine MUZ-16. Technologies for the Food and Processing Industry of the Agro-Industrial Complex – Healthy Food Products. 2024;2:252-259. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.24412/2311-6447-2024-2-252-259

7. Orobinsky V.I., Gievsky A.M., Baskakov I.V., Gulevsky V.A., Chernyshov A.V. Analysis and features of operation of fractional grain cleaners and secondary seed cleaning separators. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science. 2021;845:012064. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/845/1/012064

8. Orobinsky V.I., Gievsky A.M., Gulevsky V.A. Prospects for Improving the Technology of Post-harvest Grain and Seed Processing and Technical Means to Implement it. BIO Web of Conferences. 2021;37:00140.

9. Tishaninov K.N. The main trends in the development of grain cleaning equipment. Science in the Central Russia. 2022;5(59):20-27. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.35887/2305-2538-2022-5-20-27

10. Orobinsky V.I., Baskakov I.V., Chernyshov A.V., Gulevsky V.A., Gievsky A.M. Two-aspiration air-sieve grain cleaning machines of new generation. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science. 2022;954:012056. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/954/1/012056

11. Marinich L.A., Mikhailovsky E.I., Mikhailovsky V.E. Analysis of design and technological features of machines for the preliminary and primary cleaning of grain. Agropanorama. 2012;3(91):6-11. (In Russ.)

12. Priporov I.E., Kurasov V.S., Samurganov E.E., Shepelev A.B. Modeling the sunflower seeds separation process in air-sieve grain-cleaning machines. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering. 2021;1111:012048. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899x/1111/1/012048

13. Sychugov N.P., Savinykh P.A., Sychugov Yu.V., Kazakov V.A. Technological line, machines and equipment for producing perennial grass seeds. Tekhnologii i tekhnicheskie sredstva mekhanizirovannogo proizvodstva produktsii rastenievodstva i zhivotnovodstva. 2020;1(102):72-82. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.24411/0131-5226-2020-10229

14. Glushkov A.L., Burkov A.I., Lazykin V.A., Mokyiev V.Yu. Justification of the design parameters of the expansion chamber of the second aspiration of the MPO-30R “Veles” grain cleaning machine. Perm Agrarian Journal. 2024;2(46):4-11. (In Russ.)

15. Burkov A.I., Glushkov A.L., Lazykin V.A., Mokiev V.Yu. Grain cleaning machine pneumatic system: Patent, No. 2834712 Russian Federation, IPC B07B4/00(2006.01), 2025. (In Russ.)