A study on functional properties of seed cleaners used in Turkey and basic parameters of aerodynamic separation

ABSTRACTPhD THESISA STUDY ON FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES OF SEED CLEANERS USED INTURKEY AND BASIC PARAREMETERS OF AERODYNAM CSEPARATIONSongül GÜRSOYDEPARTMENT OF AGRICULURAL MACHINERYINSTITUTE OF NATURAL AND APPLIED SCIENCESUNIVERSTY OF CUKUROVASupervisor : Prof. Dr. Emin GÜZELYıl: 2005, Sayfa: 187Jury : Prof. Dr. Emin GÜZELProf. Dr. Yusuf KIRTOKProf. Dr. Tunç ÖZCANAssoc. Prof. Dr. Dr. Ahmet NCEAssoc. Prof. Dr. Dr. Abdullah SESS ZIn this study, the determination of the problems of seed cleaners which are used andmanufactured and the forming of the basic data with related to the solving of this problems wereaimed. With this purpose, the surveys and interviews with manufacturers were carried out.According to results of evaluation of data in surveys, the low cleaning efficiency and capacity wasseen as main problems. Beside these problems, it was concluded that seed physical and aerodynamicproperties were very important factors in designing, choosing, and using of seed cleaners.For this aim, the some physical and aerodynamic properties of 6 wheat, 2 barley, 2 lentil and2 chickpea varieties registered for South-East Anatolia Region were determined.The two different pre-seed cleaners selected according to survey results (the first seed cleanerwas imported and has two air channel both before and after sieves, other seed cleaner was made inTurkey and has only one air channel after sieves with vibrator) were tested and evaluated forseparating efficiency, seed loss and capacity at different air velocity in the tests. Fırat-93 (wheat),Şahin-91 (barley), Fırat-87 (lentil), ILC-482 (chickpea) varieties were used.According to the results of this study, the separating efficiency increased as the air velocityincreased. Howewer, the seed lossed at air separator increased. the seed losses were higher indomestic seed cleaner. The seed losses at the top sieve reduced with increasing of air velocity atimported seed cleaner. It was determined that the separating efficiency at bottom sieve was higher indomestic seed cleaner and the separating efficiency in air separator was higher in imported seedcleaner.Keywords: Seed, Physical properties, Aerodynamic, Cleaning efficiency, seed lossI