Theoretical Research Concerning the Process of Crushing Wheat Grains Using the Finite Elements Method

Abstract

From the analysis of the working process executed by the technical equipment used for grain grinding, we concluded that the main forces that are applied to grains refer to crushing and cutting. In this paper a mathematical model was performed by means of the finite element method for the crushing process of wheat, in order to establish the forces that appear to the first cracks of the grain, and also to determine the maximum strains from the grain that is being crushed; and the deformations of the crushing direction of the grain and the energy consumption during this process. For this simulation, the mechanical structural module in the 3D space of the COMSOL Multiphysics software was used.