Assessment of the influence of the adjustment parameters of the slot seed-feeding device on the probability of seed pinching

BACKGROUND: One of the promising areas for improving seeding machines is manufacturing of excess pressure devices, the use of which not only improves the quality of seeders operation at significant operating speeds, but also expands their functionality due to versatility. Reasonable ratio of adjustment parameters of seed-feeding devices with regard to operating modes largely depend on the technological properties of the seed. Thus, for example, it is obvious that the probability of seeds being pinched by the seed disk of a universal excess pressure slot-type device depends on the ratio of their thickness and the radial size of the dosing slot (which is variable within a certain range). Determining the dimensional characteristics of agricultural crop seeds will help to increase the efficiency of the settings of seed-feeding devices of seeding machines. AIM: Assessment of the influence of the size of the radial gap between the housing and the seeding disk of a universal excess pressure slot-type device on the probability of seed pinching. METHODS: The study was carried out on the example of spring barley seeds of the Vakula variety, harvested in 2022. At the first stage, the sizes of seeds were determined with an accuracy of 0.01 mm using an electronic caliper (300 pieces in sampling), followed by analysis of main statistical characteristics. At the second stage, the method for determining the probability of seed pinching between the device body and the working edge of the seed disk using previously obtained data, assuming a normal distribution of seed thickness values, was proposed. RESULTS: It was found that in the case under consideration, the radial size of the dosing slot of about 1.9 mm can be considered reasonable. CONCLUSION: The proposed method can be applied to seeds of other varieties of various crops.