Gradient Cleaning Method of Potato Based on Multi-Step Operation of Dry-Cleaning and Wet Cleaning

Hongguang Yang, Jianchun Yan, Hai Wei, Huichang Wu, Shenying Wang, Longlong Ji, Xiaowei Xu and Huanxiong Xie
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Hongguang Yang: Nanjing Institute of Agricultural Mechanization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Nanjing 210014, China
Jianchun Yan: Nanjing Institute of Agricultural Mechanization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Nanjing 210014, China
Hai Wei: Nanjing Institute of Agricultural Mechanization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Nanjing 210014, China
Huichang Wu: Nanjing Institute of Agricultural Mechanization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Nanjing 210014, China
Shenying Wang: Nanjing Institute of Agricultural Mechanization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Nanjing 210014, China
Longlong Ji: Nanjing Institute of Agricultural Mechanization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Nanjing 210014, China
Xiaowei Xu: Nanjing Institute of Agricultural Mechanization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Nanjing 210014, China
Huanxiong Xie: Nanjing Institute of Agricultural Mechanization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Nanjing 210014, China

Agriculture, 2021, vol. 11, issue 11, 1-14

Abstract: In view of the poor effectiveness of existing potato cleaning methods in China and reflecting the findings of a research analysis of basic sizes and types of impurities on potato tubers, a gradient cleaning method for potato based on a multi-step dry-cleaning and wet cleaning operation was proposed. The method mainly consists of dry-cleaning and wet cleaning. The dry-cleaning stage, which combines vibration and brushing, could effectively remove impurities such as residual rhizomes, peeled potato skin, and large pieces of soil and crushed stone from the surface of potato tubers. The wet cleaning stage adopts the gradient cleaning method of pre-cleaning, rough cleaning and fine cleaning, which could further remove soil and crushed stone attached to the surface and hidden in the sprout eyes of potato tubers. The optimal parameter combination for the gradient cleaning method was determined as follows. The potato feeding amount was 3 t/h, the speed of the rubber chain rod mechanism was 25 r/min, the speed of the first and third brush roller was 40 r/min, the speed of the second and fourth brush roller was 56 r/min, the moving speed of the immersion mechanism conveying net chain was 0.04 m/s, the speed of the brush roller in the high pressure spray and brush roller combination mechanism was 40 r/min, the ultrasonic power was 1200 W, the ultrasonic frequency was 33 kHz, the bubble intensity was 300 L/min, and the moving speed of the conveying net chain in the ultrasonic and bubble combination mechanism was 0.05 m/s. Taking the impurity removal rate and damage rate of potato tuber as the test indexes, a potato cleaning performance test was carried out under the optimal parameters combination. The results showed that the average impurity removal rate and damage rate of potato tubers were 99.05% and 2.48%, respectively. Additionally, the operational performance fully met the requirements for potato cleaning. This study provides a new method for potato cleaning in China and can also provide a reference for cleaning other root and tuber crops.

Keywords: potato; dry-cleaning; wet cleaning; gradient cleaning method; ultrasonic; bubble; impurity removal rate; damage rate (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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