Development and Performance Evaluation of a Feed Mixer-Distributor Equipped with a Leveling–Mixing Device

A hypothesis was proposed that continuous dual-circuit mixing can be achieved by equipping a feed mixer-distributor with two leveling–mixing finger shafts, which, after lifting the feed mass to a certain height, collect it in the central part of the hopper and divide it into two flows directed toward the end walls of the hopper. In this case, continuous dual-circuit mixing is performed during each rotation of the leveling–mixing shaft. A structural and technological scheme, engineering documentation, and an experimental prototype of the feed mixer-distributor were developed. The machine consists of a 3.0 m³ hopper, two horizontal augers, two leveling–mixing finger shafts, a loading conveyor, and a drive mechanism. Theoretical investigations were conducted, and analytical expressions were obtained to determine the circumferential velocity of the fingers of the leveling–mixing device, which should ensure the movement of the feed mixture without scattering and provide the release of the feed mass from the finger surface at a finger rotation angle of 30°. Calculations based on the obtained analytical expressions showed that the critical circumferential velocity of the fingers was 0.8 m/s, while the rotational speed of the finger shaft was 19 min^-1. An analytical expression was also obtained to determine the velocity of feed mixture movement along the finger surface. Based on the calculations, the optimal value of this velocity was found to be 0.7 m/s. This value corresponds to the rational velocity of feed mixture transportation toward the end walls of the hopper. Laboratory experiments were carried out using the feed mixer-distributor at a leveling–mixing finger shaft rotational speed of n = 20 min^-1. The optimal mixing time required to achieve the target mixture uniformity was 5.5 min, which is 15.4% lower than that of existing machines. Comparative experiments also showed that incorporating the leveling–mixing device into the feed mixer-distributor reduced the power consumption of the mixing process by 34%.