Abstract
Purpose: Postharvest handling of onions (harvesting, cleaning, grading, cooling, storing, and transport) should be performed continually to reduce costs and improve quality. The purpose of this study is to a) determine the design parameters and operating conditions of anion auto-dumping that constitutes a key component of the postharvest bulk handling machinery system, and b) to perform a performance test with the auto-dump prototype system. Methods: Kinematic analyses and computer simulations of the auto-dump mechanism were applied to analyze the operating conditions and design parameters. Results: The optimum working condition for the auto-dump was determined from kinetic analyses. In addition, the interaction between the velocity of the hydraulic cylinder and the angular velocity of the auto-dump were analyzed in order to control the bulk handling machinery system. The acting forces and optimum operating conditions of the hydraulic cylinder were determined by analyzing the forces related to the mass of inertia of the auto-dump assembly during rotation. The method of controlling the feeding rate of onions in terms of the uniformity of the stacking pattern and the control of the entire system was better than the two-stage method of controlling the rotational speed of the auto-dump. Based on the performance test with the prototype for the auto-dump, the stacking pattern and rigidity of the system were analyzed. Conclusions: These results would be of great importance in the postharvest bulk handling machinery system for onions.
