KOREAN JOURNAL OF PACKAGING SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY (한국포장학회지)

Korea Society of Packaging Science and Technology (한국포장학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Development of a Low-cost and High-efficiency Post-harvest Bulk Handling Machinery System of Onion - Performance Evaluation and Control

  • Park, Jongmin (Department of Bio-industrial Machinery Engineering, Pusan National University) ;
  • Kim, Jongsoon (Department of Bio-industrial Machinery Engineering, Pusan National University) ;
  • Jung, Hyunmo (Department of Logistic Packaging, Kyungbuk College of Science)
  • Received : 2020.06.29
  • Accepted : 2020.07.21
  • Published : 2020.08.31
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

As post-harvest processes of onions are carried by a 20 kg-net package which results in high-cost and low-efficiency, especially, the insufficient drying and physical damage of onions after harvesting leads to a huge second loss in storage, we had developed a low-cost, high-efficiency post-harvest bulk handling machinery system by collecting onions on a farm using ton-bags, drying with forced air circulation, and sorting/packaging. The post-harvest bulk handling machinery system consisted of 6 devices, and this study designed an automatic feed hopper with a feeding rate control device, an inclined belt conveyor with a two-step chute, and an automatic pallet unloading device for feeding onions into the sorting/packing line. This study also analyzed the performance and control of the total system. The device had 1-ton handling capacity, but the operational condition was set to increase the capacity. The three-step filling method of pallet by the velocity control of the inclined belt conveyor was applied in the post-harvest bulk handling machinery system for the prevention of physical damage. If one worker was set to operate the total system, the time required to complete one palletized load was approximately 5 minutes and 5 seconds. The calculated daily handling capacity was approximately 94 tons, when the daily actual working time was 8 hours. When the developed system was applied to the managerial size of 2,000 ton, the processing cost per ton of the system was decreased by 19.5%, compared with the existing 20 kg-net package-based handling. The developed post-harvest bulk handling machinery system would be a good substitute for the rapid decline and aging of rural labor.

Keywords

References

  1. Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA). 2000. Status of low temperature warehouse for agricultural products.
  2. National Agricultural Cooperative Federation. 2007. Postharvesting process manual for onion.
  3. Korean Society for Horticultural Science. 1997. Problems and solutions of onion stacking in Korea. Horticulture, Environment and Biotechnology 8: 29-31.
  4. Park, J.M. et al. 2013. Development of post-harvest bulk handling system of onions (I) - characteristics of friction and airflow resistance. Journal of the Faculty of Agriculture Kyushu University 58(1): 87-92. https://doi.org/10.5109/26165
  5. Park, J.M. et al. 2015. Development of post-harvest bulk handling system for onions (II) - design of a box pallet. AMA (Agricultural Mechanization in Asia, Africa, and Latin America) 46(4): 22-27.
  6. Park, J.M. et al. 2018. Auto-dump Design of Postharvest Bulk Handling Machinery System for Onions. Journal of Biosystems Engineering 43(4): 379-385. https://doi.org/10.5307/JBE.2018.43.4.379
  7. Editorial department. 2006. Conveyor calculations. Sejinbook (in Korean).
  8. Mohsenin, N.N. 1986. Physical properties of plant and animal materials. Gorden and Breach science publishers, N.Y.
  9. Sitkei, Gy. 1986. Mechanics of Agricultural Materials. 8nd ed. New York, NY, USA: Elservier.
  10. National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service (NAQS). 2007. Standard grade for agricultural products.
  11. Lee, J. G. 2007. Hydraulic systems: Activities. Kijeon Publishing Company, Seoul, Korea (in Korean).
  12. Editorial department. 2006. Handbook for mechanical design (5th edition). Daekwang (in Korean).
  13. Korean Testing Certificate (KTC). 2015. Hydraulic Cylinders. SPS-KTC-B6370-0002.