OPTIMIZATION OF DESIGN PARAMETERS OF HOPPER DEVICE

Based on previous theoretical studies, the main design parameters of the device were established, such as angle of installation of wire screens, the number of wire screens in hopper, the location of wire screens in hopper, and the minimum size of the gap and bridge in wire screens. It is established that in order to determine the optimal width of the gap in the wire screen, it is necessary to know the height of bulk material layer passing through the gap of the hopper device element and speed of bulk material on the second bridge. To ensure optimal operation of the element (wire screen) of the device for controlling technological process of loading, storage and unloading, it is necessary that loaded material passes evenly through the wire screen that is throughput capacity of each slot of the device is the same. The obtained equations allow us to determine the minimum gap width depending on the radius of bulk material particle, falling speed of the material on the screen, coefficient of friction and width of crossbar of the screen. For experimental research, a laboratory model of a bunker-type device was created and tested. The model allows you to quickly change parameters such as the angle of inclination of wire screen, gap width in the wire screen, the length of the wire screen, the distance between the wire screens and the height of the loaded layer. At the same time, it was found that the loading process is influenced by the coefficients of uniformity of distribution of bulk material over the entire cross-section of container, as well as the coefficient of material segregation when filling the loading device. The method of conducting experiments included determining the parameters of developed hopper device: the angle of inclination of the wire screen, the length of the wire screen, gap width in the screen and the interval between the sieves. The initial levels were selected based on analysis of previous studies of the bulk material loading process. The results of these studies identified the optimal values of main parameters of the developed device depending on the downloadable material: the angle of inclination of wire screen - 36...38°; length of wire screen...0,19 0,28 m; the distance between screens - 2,3...2,8 m. The obtained numerical values of parameters can be used in the design of bunkers or silos for similar purposes.