PROCESSING EQUIPMENTS

Colour separator

The colour separator is used to separate discoloured seed, greatly of lower quality. Separation based on colour is necessary because the density and dimensions of discoloured seed are the same as those of sound seed, so other machines are not effective for separation. Electronic colour separation uses photocells to compare the seed colour with “background” which are selected to reflect the same light as the good seed. Seed that differs in colour is detected by the photo cells, which generate an electric impulse. The impulse activates an air jet to blow away the discoloured seed.

Separating Seed by Color

The color sorter (right) uses an electronic eye that can pick up different colors according to the way the machine is adjusted.  As seed falls down a shoot, it passes through the electric eye. If the color of the seed is different than the desired color, the electric eye will activate a sudden burst of air that pushes that seed into a reject bin while the rest of the seed passes through to another bin.