Optimization of the Separation Efficiency of Buckwheat Seeds and Wild Radish Siliques in a Grader with Indented Pockets

The separation parameters and indicators of separation efficiency of a mixture of two types of seeds in a grader equipped with five interchangeable cylinders with indented pockets of various depths were optimized. The analyzed mixture was composed of buckwheat seeds and wild radish siliques, which are difficult to separate. A self-made computer program based on genetic algorithms was developed for the needs of the study. The value of the optimized indicator of separation efficiency (e = 0.993), which is a product of partial indicators (buckwheat seed yield e 1 and separation efficiency of wild radish siliques e 2 ), was highest at the following operating parameters: Depth of indented pocket s = 2.9 mm, kinematic index k = 0.25, static load rating of a cylinder q = 0.1, and inclination angle of the working edge of the trough α = 12.0°.