• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.563-570
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• 2001

To develop a stalk detaching system the effect of shape factor of red pepper affecting the performance of unfolding, arranging and cutting was analysed. The obtained results are as follows : By cutting experiment, it was found that the bending of stalk affected the cutting rate of stalk, and that the bending of body increased the amount of peppers that were expelled from the cutting guide by conveying brush. The ratios, 'bending length of a body/body length'and 'bending length of a stalk/stalk length', could be used as criteria far abnormality of body and stalk of peppers, respectively. As a result of experiment, it was concluded that mechanical treatment would be difficult for the peppers with indexes greater than 0.4 and 0.3 fur body bending and stack bending. respectively. So, these indexes were used as criteria for distinguishing abnormality from normality of peppers. In the unfolding unit, conveyance of peppers was impossible for both of normal and abnormal ones at the inclination angle of 10°, especially, at the frequency of 8.3 Hz peppers maintained stationary state. At the inclination angle of 20°, both of normal and abnormal peppers showed similar tendencies, but abnormal ones showed an accumulation trend gradually with increased feeding speed. In the arranging unit, conveyance of peppers was almost impossible for both of normal and abnormal ones at the inclination angle of 20°, showing almost no difference between the conveyances of normal and abnormal ones. In the case of the inclination angle of 30°, at the condition of the feeding speeds and frequency corresponding 0.06 m/s, 0.08 m/s and 8.3 Hz, respectively, the passing time of the abnormal peppers on the arranging plate increased rapidly.