Click on “Download PDF” for the PDF version or on the title for the HTML version. If you are not an ASABE member or if your employer has not arranged for access to the full-text, Click here for options. Design and Performance of an Air Shaker for Citrus Fruit RemovalPublished by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, St. Joseph, Michigan www.asabe.org Citation: Transactions of the ASAE. 20 (1): 0052-0056. (doi: 10.13031/2013.35491) @1977Authors: J. D. Whitney Keywords: ABSTRACT AN air shaker for citrus fruit re-moval was designed, constructed, and field tested between 1973 and 1975. The main components of the shaker were three 1.2 m (48 in.) diameter vane-axial fans which were belt driven by two engines and were trailer mounted on a live, steerable axle. The shaker weighed 8,522 kg (18,919 lb) and delivered an air volume flow rate of 85 m3/s (180,000 cfm) with a power input of 242 kW (325 hp). Air pressure measurements are presented to characterize the air shaking pattern. In all field performance tests abscission chemicals were applied to the citrus fruit to reduce the bonding strength of the fruit to the tree. Fruit removal capacities of the air shaker ranged up to 3.4 kg/s (152,856 lb/hr) at 80 to 100 percent removal efficiency. In general, when the fruit bonding strength was uni-formly reduced to 22.4 N (5 lb) or less, the air shaker would remove 90 to 95 percent of the fruit at a rate of not less than 5.7 kg/s (45,000 lb/hr)."/> ABSTRACT AN air shaker for citrus fruit re-moval was designed, constructed, and field tested between 1973 and 1975. The main components of the shaker were three 1.2 m (48 in.) diameter vane-axial fans which were belt driven by two engines and were trailer mounted on a live, steerable axle. The shaker weighed 8,522 kg (18,919 lb) and delivered an air volume flow rate of 85 m3/s (180,000 cfm) with a power input of 242 kW (325 hp). Air pressure measurements are presented to characterize the air shaking pattern. In all field performance tests abscission chemicals were applied to the citrus fruit to reduce the bonding strength of the fruit to the tree. Fruit removal capacities of the air shaker ranged up to 3.4 kg/s (152,856 lb/hr) at 80 to 100 percent removal efficiency. In general, when the fruit bonding strength was uni-formly reduced to 22.4 N (5 lb) or less, the air shaker would remove 90 to 95 percent of the fruit at a rate of not less than 5.7 kg/s (45,000 lb/hr). (Download PDF) (Export to EndNotes)
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