METHOD FOR POSTHARVEST TREATMENT OF CASTOR BEAN HEAP AND LINE FOR EFFECTUATING THE SAME Russian patent published in 2005 - IPC

FIELD: agriculture, in particular, postharvest treatment of castor bean seeds.

SUBSTANCE: method involves charging castor bean heap into containers, followed by drying; subjecting castor bean heap to shelling by directing thereof through pairs of roll-deck type working tools and simultaneously cleaning from fruit coat by means of air flow; performing shelling operation in "mild" operating mode, with roll-to-roll rotational velocity increasing in the course of shelling operation; separating castor bean heap into standard seeds and non-standard seeds on seed cleaning machine; subjecting non-standard seeds produced after separating of caster bean heap to additional shelling in "hard" operating mode and simultaneously cleaning with air flow. Line for postharvest treatment of castor beans comprises drying apparatus and main shelling apparatus with air column and pairs of roll-deck type working tools. During shelling procedure, fruit coats are separated by means of air column. Shelling products are delivered into containers and directed onto seed cleaning machine equipped with screens. After passage through seed cleaning machine, seeds are delivered into container and further directed for storage. Another shelling apparatus is located downstream of seed cleaning machine and provided with air column and pairs of roll-deck type working tools for additional threshing of non-standard seeds, with all of said rolls operating at equal rotational velocity. During additional shelling, shell is separated by means of air column while seeds are accumulated in container.

EFFECT: increased yield of seed material owing to reduced damage to seeds and additional threshing of non-standard seeds separated on seed cleaning machine.

4 cl, 1 dwg, 3 tbl, 1 ex