Defining the influence of the screw press loading conditions on the consumed current of its drive with the use of Arduino microcontroller

Abstract

In scope of this article was developed method for detecting how the loading conditions of a screw press impact its drive's power consumption with the help of sensors and Arduino microcontroller. Since sunflower oil is one of the most common products of the food industry, the problem of efficiency of the seeds processing is an urgent one aimed at improving the performance of presses and decreasing the consumed power of their drives. The research employed scientific methods such as analysis, modeling, experiment, measurement and observation to create valid outcomes. The simplified schematic diagram of the screw press electromechanical system is developed based on its full-scale experimental prototype LiangTai LTP200. The measurements are performed with the help of the current and voltage sensors SCT-013-030 and ZMPT101B connected to the Arduino microcontroller. Study defines the loading levels of the pressing chamber as the ratio between the volume of the sunflower seeds loaded into the chamber and the total active volume of the chamber. The volume of the seeds is defined with the help of the measuring sleeve (volumetric flask) and is additionally calculated as the product of their mass by the corresponding bulk density. The mass is measured by the electronic scales KYA800077. The study tested consumed current at no-load conditions and at the loading levels of 33 %, 67 %, 100 %. The experiments conducted for the case of the sunflower seeds processing confirm the proportional increase in the consumed current of the screw press drive during the increase of the loading level of the pressing chamber. This allows improving the corresponding control algorithms aimed at optimizing the power consumption of the press drive. The significance of utilizing the Arduino microcontroller in this context is profound. This research has set the ground for the possible application of these methods in other oil-containing seeds processing. In addition, the experimental data can be used for monitoring and preventing the overloading conditions that can cause the breakdown of the press drive elements.