Apparatus to disperse crushed grains evenly into a flexible container bag

Abstract. We studied the apparatus to disperse crushed grains horizontally into a flexible container bag. The objective is to pack crushed grains into flexible container bag horizontally to avoid pilling up and reduce manual flatting labor. Horizontal packing is needed to pack high density and keep fine mixed state with spraying water and additive (e.g.: lactic acid bacterium). The water and additive helps to keep crushed grains in good condition without drying. The apparatus has 10 rollers combined with round belt pulley. It combined with an another belt conveyor vent. The motion of apparatus is transmitted by a rubber wheel from the belt conveyor. It can change speed depending on the belt conveyor speed. And it can change its angles and interspaces of each roller. Crushed grains drop through each interspace. We changed wheel speeds (1.1, 1.8, 2.5, 3.4rps), apparatus angles (0, 7.5, 15°angle) and roller interspaces (2, 3mm). 3L of crushed grain (husk rice) was dropped from 750mm height to a flat surface in each experiment using the apparatus. When roller speed 2.5rps, 7.5°angle and roller interspaces 2mm, the standard deviation of height was 7.6mm. Without the apparatus, standard deviation was 20.4mm.