Vibrations in engineering and technology

Kupchuk Ihor – Candidate of Technical Sciences, Associate professor, Associate Professor of the Department of Engineering Mechanics and Technological Processes in the Agricultural Industry, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Vinnytsia National Agrarian University (3, Sonychna St., Vinnytsia, 21008, Ukraine, e-mail: kupchuk.igor@i.ua; http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2973-6914). 

The article presents a comprehensive analysis of modern feed preparation systems for livestock, taking into account various types of mixers, including horizontal and vertical TMR mixers, screw, conical, and drum mixers for dry components. A classification of equipment was carried out based on the operating principle, design features of the working elements, and technological characteristics, allowing the identification of key groups of mixers depending on their purpose and the scale of the farm. Special attention was given to the analysis of screw and rotor configurations, including square and round screws, as well as the staggered rotor technology, which provides more uniform feed circulation within the mixer. It was established that optimizing the geometry of screws and blades, the inclination of surfaces, and the use of cutting elements with hard-alloy coatings contributes to improved efficiency in grinding and mixing fibrous and wet feed components, reduces the formation of bridging, and ensures the production of a homogeneous mixture. The analysis demonstrated that horizontal and vertical TMR mixers provide high dosing accuracy, reduced mixing cycle time, and uniform distribution of nutrients, whereas conical and drum mixers are effective for dry and pelleted feeds, ensuring controlled mixing speed and minimizing component losses. Technological solutions that allow equipment to adapt to various physicomechanical properties of feed mixtures, including moisture content, fiber length, and particle size distribution, were also highlighted. The article outlines prospects for further research, including the improvement of vertical screw design, optimization of the placement and shape of cutting elements, integration of sensor systems for mixture homogeneity control and adaptive regulation of screw rotation speed, as well as the use of digital modeling and three-dimensional analysis of feed flow for substantiated design and efficiency prediction of new configurations. The results of the study can be used to enhance the productivity, energy efficiency, and technological reliability of feed preparation systems in modern livestock farming.

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