The paper presents material that indicates the feasibility of using grape seeds as a valuable ingredient in a composite extruded mixture. Arguments are given in favor of a rational approach to the involvement of secondary raw materials obtained in the process of processing grapes in the economic turnover. Based on the analysis of the chemical composition and individual technological properties of grape seeds, approaches to obtaining a composite mixture for further use in the development of functional or enriched bakery and flour confectionery products are justified.

This study evaluated the effect of extrusion processing on the specific mechanical energy and physical properties of chickpea extrudates (expansion coefficient, bulk density and hardness). The experimental data were processed using the response surface methodology with the following parameters: temperature at the exit from the die (120-150 °C), humidity (20-24 %), and screw rotation speed (260-340 rpm). The factors that most influenced product performance were die outlet temperature and feed moisture content, and the interactions between them. A significant correlation was found between hardness and bulk density (positive), hardness and expansion coefficient (negative), and bulk density and expansion coefficient (negative). The desired characteristics (high expansion, low bulk density and hardness) for the chickpea were obtained at a high die outlet temperature, relatively high humidity and a high screw speed.

The influence of the operating conditions of the extruder (raw material moisture, die temperature, screw speed and mass flow rate) on the pressure drop in the die for wet raw materials was investigated. An EK-40 laboratory extruder and a slot die / rheometer combination were used to measure the pressure drop across the die. The pressure drop decreased with increasing humidity, screw speed, and die temperature, and increased with increasing mass flow. It was found that the temperature of the matrix is the most significant parameter affecting the pressure drop of the matrix.

The article provides a study of factors (screw speed and mass flow rate) affecting the operating conditions of the extruder, engine torque and specific mechanical energy for high-moisture raw materials. A laboratory extruder and a slotted die with a rheometer were used to measure the die torque. The die torque decreased with increasing screw rotation speed and increased with increasing mass flow. However, the increase in mass flow has led to a decrease in the specific mechanical energy. Increasing the screw speed increased the specific mechanical energy. This was due to the higher shear rates at higher screw speeds.

The current state of sugar beet production in Russia is considered. The dynamics of changes in the acreage of sugar beet in Russia from 2010 to 2019 is presented. The analysis of sugar beet production volumes both in the Russian Federation as a whole and in the context of Federal districts is given. The main region for sugar beet production in Russia is the Krasnodar territory, which produced 10563.9 thousand tons of sugar beet in 2019, which is 20.8% of the total production in the country. The yield of sugar beet by key producing regions in 2019 is presented. The highest yield of sugar beet in 2019 is also in the Krasnodar territory (521.2 C / ha). The forecast of development of sugar beet production in Russia in the near future is given.

The article summarizes information about the technologies of composite mixtures linked by a single concept and based on the principles of thermal vacuum plastic extrusion. Classification features of such technologies, as well as their main parameters, are presented and justified. Rational values of the composition of mixtures in terms of the ratio and humidity of the ingredients included in them are given. The conclusion is made about the prospects of using composite mixtures in the technologies of functional or enriched bakery and flour confectionery products.

The analysis of the current state of robotic means for agriculture is considered. As the analysis has shown, the current trend in the development of robotics for agriculture is aimed at creating unmanned vehicles consisting of various technical and intelligent systems that need to be integrated and correctly synchronized for the efficient performance of agricultural operations. At the same time, the priority task of creating new and improving existing designs of unmanned vehicles for performing a complex of mechanized work in agriculture is the creation of a cheap, competitive product with a simple interface and a low entry threshold for the operator of the vehicle. In this regard, at the research stage, it is important to lay the foundation for a phased concept for the development and improvement of domestic robotics in the agro-industrial complex. At the first stage of the proposed concept, it is necessary to develop a simple, commercially available product for farms and peasant farms that carries out multi-parameter control over the fleet of technical means. At the second stage, it is necessary to show the maximum practical benefit of robotic solutions used without deep interventions in the design of the technical means, leaving the choice of process control. Based on the experimental developments of the second stage, the third stage involves the creation of a working version of technical vision capable of determining the characteristics of plants (stages of maturation, diseases), recognizing humans, insects, obstacles, road irregularities, road parameters such as: hard surface or field road. In this case, the system must transmit / receive data within the agricultural ecosystem, as well as create templates for the movement of a technical vehicle. The final stage of the concept involves the development of a control system for a technical facility without human intervention on highways, fields, industrial areas and rough terrain. The proposed concept will make it possible to design and develop a new generation of unmanned aerial vehicles for efficient agricultural operations.

The paper presents one of the variants of the design and technological scheme of the extruder, which allows energy-saving thermal vacuum processing of vegetable raw materials. Theoretical dependences are proposed that allow analyzing the effect of the thermal vacuum effect on the parameters of water vapor removed from the inter-wall space of the loading chamber of the upgraded extruder. The relation of the coefficient that takes into account the effect of the thermal vacuum effect in an autogenic single-screw extruder on other significant technical and technological indicators of the machine is shown.