Automatic Winnowing Mechanism

Automatic Winnowing Mechanism

Abstract:
Wind winnowing is a method developed by ancient cultures for agricultural
purposes. It involves taking a basket of mixed grain and chaff, or using a winnowing fork
on a pile of harvested grain and tossing the contents into the air, thus causing the chaff to
blow away while the heavier grains fall back into the basket or onto the ground or
threshing floor.
The chaff consists of calyxes, stems, old petals, husks, and dead parts of the fruit
or flower.
Typically in the villages the winnowing is a procedure that the ladies of the family
take care. In this mechanism they carry a large wooden plate and try to place themselves
in the direction opposite to the air, after careful placement they will shake the wooden
plate and make the grain and the chaff fall from a height. The chaff being lighter flies
with the wind and the grain being heavier will fall near by, separating the chaff from the
grain.
In places like, big storage places, where the grain (mixed with chaff) needs to be
bought and chaff needs to be separated before weighing, many people are required and
the time taken by them is also huge. Considering this fact we propose an automated
winnowing mechanism with the following features
1. Long conveyor belt
2. Shaking vibrating bed/plate
3. Quantity selector
4. High Speed fan
5. Water jets
6. Underground chaff collector and drainage system.
This mechanism will be consisting of a conveyor belt on which the gunny sack
consisting of the mixture of the grain and chaff can be emptied. This belt will be a long
belt so that many sacks can be simultaneously emptied.
The mixture is then rolled over to a vibrating plate which will be able to shake the
mixture and will then throw the mixture in the air. This mechanism will also house a
quantity selector so that limited quantity can be offloaded to the vibrating bed or plate.
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Automatic Winnowing Mechanism

Under this mechanism we will be placing a high speed fan which will be able to
blow away the lighter chaff and the heavier particles i.e. the grains can be collected in a
bucket.
The chaff collected can be then washed with the water jets. The washed chaff is
then collected at the end of an underground drainage system so that the chaff doesnt fly
in the air as it is bad for human health as it can cause allergies of many kinds and also
give way to asthma and other breathing problems.
In this project we will be covering and understand the following topics:
8051 Hardware Designing
Coding in 8051 Assembly
PCB designing and concepts
Controlling and driving mechanism of Relays to control External Devices.
Conveyor belt design (chain drive)
Motor controlling mechanisms
Fan controlling mechanism
Water Jets and movements
Modeling

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Automatic Winnowing Mechanism

Block Diagram:
Liquid Crystal
Display

Switches like
Start/Stop and
Emergency
Stop Etc.

Micro-Controller
89C51

Light Emitting
Diodes for
Visual
Indications

Relay Controlling Mechanism

Relays for
Controlling
Blowing
Fan

Relays for
Controlling
Conveyor
belt motor

Relays for
Controlling
Water Jet
Controller

Relays for
Controlling
Vibrating
bed

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