Planning, layout and establishment of seed processing
plant
Seed lots received from the field are often at high moisture content and
contain trash and other inert material, weed seeds, deteriorated and
damaged seeds, off-size seeds, etc. Seed processing is necessary in order
to dry the seeds to safe moisture level; remove or reduce to the extent
possible the various undesirable material, weed seeds, other crop seeds,
deteriorated or damaged seeds; uniform size grading and seed treatment
to upgrade the over all seed quality. In its common usage in India, seed
processing refers to all the steps necessary for preparation of harvested
seed for marketing, namely, handling, drying, shelling, preconditioning
cleaning, size grading, treating and pa ckaging, etc.
Seed Processing Plant Layout Planning:
Layout plan for construction of a seed processing plant should be
carefully planned to ensure that the thorough seed cleaning, upgrading,
seed treatment and other seed processing operations are carried out
efficiently, without mixing and damaging seed lots, with a minimum of
equipment, personnel, time and at minimum cost.
Factors to be considered in planning and designing a seed processing
plant:
1. Kinds of crop seeds to be handled and kinds of contaminating crop and
weed seeds usually present in the seed lots;
2. Size of operation
3. Whether drying facilities should be required;
4. Selection of suitable equipment;
5. Location of the plant;
6. Source of power for running machinery;
7. System of seed delivery to processing plant; and
8. Availability of labour
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The key to efficient plant layout is a thorough knowledge of what needs
to be done, and sound planning. First, the general sequence of processes
involved between the time seeds enter the processing plant and the time
they are cleaned, packaged and ready for shipment, must be charted. The
sequence of operations depends upon the kind of crop and the initial
quality of seed lot, type of contaminants, moisture content of the seed lot,
etc. The layout planner must ha ve an intimate knowledge of the seed
to be processed, its physical characteristics, the contaminants in it, and
also of the selection of machines used to bring the seed to acceptable
marketing standards.
Analysis of Operation
a) Processing sequence: After the machines needed have been
identified, the next step is to determine the proper processing
sequence. the seed separators, elevators, conveyors and storage
bins should be so arranged that seeds flow continuously from
beginning to end, and yet be flexible enough to bypass a machine
or return to a part for re-cleaning.
b) Matching capacity: Equipment size of capacity must be carefully
planned to prevent bottlenecks. When the overall operating
capacity needs have been determined, all machines must be able to
handle that capacity with some reserve capacity for problem lots.
Surge bins can handle variations in individual machine capacities.
But when differences are great, either larger models, or more than
one machine installed in parallel flow, must be used to maintain
uninterrupted flow.
c) Conveying: The type of conveying system is also a very important
factor. The conveying system must be able to handle the capacity
needed in a particular spot. And it must be carefully adapted to the
seed handled.
d) Type of Layouts:
There are three main types of processing plant layouts: multistorey,
single level and combination.
a) Multistorey: In this system, seed is carried by elevators to the
top floor and emptied into large bins. Cleaning machines are then
arranged in a vertical series on the lower floors. Seed flows from
one machine down into the next by gravity.
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b) Single level: In the single storey plant, seed is moved from one
machine to the next by elevators placed between the machines. A
great advantage of the single level system is that one man can
supervise the processing line without running up and downstairs.
He can thus maintain closer supervision of all operations.
c) Combined designs : A compromise between the single and
multistorey system could also be adapted.
Planning: After the proper machines, elevator capacities, cleaning
sequences, and lay out design have been selected, detailed layout
planning can begin. Careful layout planning can identify and
remedy bottlenecks and trouble spots before the plant is built, and
thus prevent trouble later. As the lay out or design develops, it
should be drawn on paper. A good method is to draw lines of flow
first and then convert these flow lines into machine lines. After
appropriate revisions, detailed drawings can be made to show exact
locations of equipment and distances. Scale drawings are the most
widely used method of layout planning. Scale models and scale
templates are also very effective, but are more expensive.
Layout planning today is a science in itself, and is a valuable tool
of processing industries, Equipment representatives are often
trained in plant layout and the seeds man planning a new plant
should take full advantage of their special knowledge.
Design of Seed Processing Plants
The design and layout of seed processing plants should be carefully
planned to ensure that:
(1) the seed receives the necessary conditioning in the proper
sequence,
(2) there are no bottlenecks,
(3) operating costs are kept to a minimum,
(4) the seedsare not injured from excessive handling,
(5) facilities are completely cleanable, and
(6) the chance of contamination is kept to a minimum.
If possible, the seed should be elevated only once to overhead
storage bins, where it can be held until conditioning. From there it
should be allowed to flow by gravity between the various pieces of
conditioning equipment. In order to accomplish this, an initial
elevation of about 40 to 60 ft is needed. Mistakes is design will
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require two or more vertical elevations and increase the
opportunity for seed injury and seed lot contamination, as well as
require extra maintenance. Shows a suggested design for a seed
processing layout that can handle most crops, including small-
seeded grasses and legumes. Shows the seque4nce of conditioning
operations for cleaning seed of various species.