Technology and implementation of flax stripping in the primary flax processing line

Abstract

This paper investigates the utilization of an oscillatory-type working body for the stripping process within the primary fiber flax processing line. It also introduces the equation governing the movement of this working body, thereby enabling the determination of the fundamental geometric parameters of the mechanism. (Research purpose) To develop the technology for fiber flax stripping at a flax mill using the proposed comb-type device, and to examine the parameters and modes of its functionality. (Materials and methods) A testing model was designed for a stripping machine, enabling an exploration of the flax combing process within the factory. The limitations of the parameters under investigation were identified.  Furthermore, a theoretical model was formulated to calculate the performance of the stripper. (Results and discussion) The operation kinematic mode, stripping cleanliness, and seed losses during the stripping process are determined through theoretical analysis. It is discovered that the quality of stripping is influenced by the thickness of the flax ribbon. Specifically, an increase in the flax straw's thickness results in the clogging of the stripping device, subsequently leading to the formation of tangles and entanglements on the working body. On the other hand, insufficient thickness of the flax ribbon leads to significant damage to the stems. The limits for the thickness of the flax ribbon are established considering both the potential minimum and maximum yields: the lower limit being 0.01 meters and the upper limit set at 0.05 meters. The application of the factory's stripping technology is expected to ensure a 10 percent reduction in seed losses and an additional 6 percent reduction in production costs. (Conclusions) Theoretical justification for the parameters and operational modes of the stripper in the flax processing line, along with its design, is provided.  The feed speed of the flax ribbon is configured to range between 1.0 and 1.5 meters per second, while the rotation frequency of the working body varies from 2.2 to 3.0 revolutions per second.