Design and Parameter Optimization of a Negative-Pressure Peanut Fruit-Soil Separating Device

Abstract

This study proposes a negative-pressure fruit-soil separating device for peanuts cultivated in hilly and mountainous areas after combined harvesting, and the mechanism of the movement of the material in the process of material screening, fruit-soil separating, and pneumatic conveying of the device was analyzed. In addition, a four-factor, three-level Box-Behnken regression design test was used to explore the optimum operating parameters of the peanut fruit-soil separation device. The results showed that the best fruit-soil separation effect was achieved when the wind speed of the blower was 13.58 m/s, the height of the suction nozzle from the screen surface was 27 mm, the length of the suction port was 64 mm, and the feeding rate was 600 kg/h. Validation tests demonstrated that the impurity rate of 0.16% and the peanut pod loss rate of 0.2% exceeded the industry standard, indicating superior performance.