INVESTIGATION OF FEED COMPACTION IN VACUUM

Abstract

The article provides a brief analysis of the results of research in the field of preparation and storage of siloed feed. The most promising direction of development of the technology of preparation and storage of silage is the silage of feed in vacuum containers made of airtight film. Compaction of the feed in the container occurs due to its own weight of the silage mass and vacuum pressure. It is theoretically justified that only the vacuum pressure acts on top of the container, and the difference between the vacuum pressure and the lateral and axial pressure, respectively, acts on the side and bottom. The practice of using evacuated containers during silage has shown that a compacted layer forms over the entire surface of the resulting monolith, preventing juice and air from escaping from the silage mass. The aim of the study was to establish the effect of vacuum pressure on the release of juice and compaction of the silage mass. With the porosity of the mass approaching zero, the density of the crushed mass of plants approaches the density of their stems and further compaction of the silage mass does not make sense. Sufficient vacuum during silage is 60-70 kPa. The density of compressed silage monoliths is 700 - 800 kg/m3.