Designing a polyurethane-based Husker roll for long-grain rice using a finite element model

Abstract

Rice husking is an operation where the husks are peeled from rough rice, and a rubber roll husker conventionally consists of two rubber rolls with different peripheral velocities that rotate to provide the shear stress needed to husk rough rice. Both short- and long-grain rice, which have totally different shapes, affect rice husker performance, especially the husking ratio and wear of the husker roll. The performance with long-grain rice, which accounts for 80% of world rice production, is poorer than with short-grain rice. We analyzed the fundamental mechanisms of the roll husker, and then compared the performance for long- and short- grain rice using a finite element model.