ANALYSIS OF THE GRINDING PROCESS OF THE NON-SEED PART OF THE CROP BAST CROPS

The issue of processing the non-seed part of the harvest (NSP) of bast crops - oil flax and hemp - is acute today. Purpose of the study: to study the process of grinding fibrous plant materials and the development of a NSP grinder for bast crops. The search for a rational design of the NSP chopperspreader is largely determined by the requirements placed on it: high-quality crushing of the stems remaining in the field after combing the seeds, high productivity, and minimal energy consumption. An analysis of known designs of knives used for grinding plant materials has been carried out. The rational shape of the knives for the shredder under development was determined taking into account the presence of wood and fibers in the stems of bast crops, as well as their physical and mechanical properties. It was determined that the knife should be hinged and volumetric, ensure the destruction of stems in the longitudinal and cross sections, have a curved counter-cutting blade and a combined cutting part of the active knife, allowing for a “sliding-sawing” effect on the material. Experimental studies have determined the forces of “sliding-sawing” cutting of single and group of stems. The highest cutting force corresponds to oil flax stems in the full phase of seed ripeness, a single stem 2.29 Н on groups of stems 5.32 N ... 10.1 Н. An increase in cutting force was established with a change in the phase of seed ripeness, which is associated with lignification of the stems, which increases cutting forces by 45...125 %. Taking into account the research carried out, design documentation has been developed for the production in 2024 of a prototype of the NSP chopper-spreader.