Experimental Study on the Pelleting and Coating Performance of Red Clover Seeds

This study aimed to optimize the pelleting and coating process for red clover seeds, addressing the issue of low pelleting success rates. Through theoretical analysis and experimental research, coating pan fill rate, powder supply quantity, and pelleting time were identified as key factors influencing the pelleting success rate. Single-factor experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of these parameters on the quality of red clover seed pelleting and coating. Based on these results, orthogonal trials were carried out, and response surface analysis was employed to reveal the influence patterns and interactions of each factor. The research results indicate that the factors affecting the pelleting success rate, ranked in order of importance, are coating pan fill rate, pelleting time, and powder supply quantity. Through mathematical model optimization, the optimal combination of process parameters was determined to be coating pan fill rate of 35.9%, powder supply quantity of 160.2 g, and pelleting time of 6.9 s. Under these conditions, a pelleting success rate of 94.3% was achieved in validation experiments. This study provides a theoretical foundation and practical guidance for optimizing the pelleting and coating process of red clover seeds, which is significant for improving seed coating quality and promoting red clover cultivation.