A crop processor for cracking kernels in a forage harvester, the crop processor including: a housing having an inlet and an outlet; and a first and a second comminuting roll mounted inside the housing, the comminuting rolls being arranged in parallel to define an opening between the rolls, the comminuting rolls being configured to rotate, during use, in opposing rotation directions to transport a flow of harvested crop, received from the inlet, through the opening towards the outlet, wherein the first comminuting roll is configured to rotate at a greater speed than the second comminuting roll; wherein the first and second comminuting rolls each include a plurality of teeth arranged on a circumferential surface of the comminuting roll, each of the plurality of teeth includes a leading edge which faces in the rotation direction of that comminuting roll.

A crop processor for cracking kernels in a forage harvester, the crop processor including: a housing having an inlet and an outlet; and a first and a second comminuting roll mounted inside the housing, the comminuting rolls being arranged in parallel to define an opening between the rolls, the comminuting rolls being configured to rotate, during use, in opposing rotation directions to transport a flow of harvested crop, received from the inlet, through the opening towards the outlet, wherein the first comminuting roll is configured to rotate at a greater speed than the second comminuting roll; wherein the first and second comminuting rolls each include a plurality of teeth arranged on a circumferential surface of the comminuting roll, each of the plurality of teeth includes a leading edge which faces in the rotation direction of that comminuting roll.

A system processes seeds that are present in crop material. The system includes a first shearing surface, a second shearing surface arranged opposite the first shearing surface, and a clearance between the first shearing surface and the second shearing surface. The system passes crop material between the first and second shearing surfaces, where the crop material contacts the shearing surfaces as it passes through the shearing surfaces. Contact with the first and second shearing surfaces damages seeds that are present in the crop material. The system can be installed in an agricultural harvester to damage seeds that are present in crop residue to prevent the seeds from germinating after the crop residue is discharged from the agricultural harvester back into the field.

A system processes seeds that are present in crop material. The system includes a first shearing surface, a second shearing surface arranged opposite the first shearing surface, and a clearance between the first shearing surface and the second shearing surface. The system passes crop material between the first and second shearing surfaces, where the crop material contacts the shearing surfaces as it passes through the shearing surfaces. Contact with the first and second shearing surfaces damages seeds that are present in the crop material. The system can be installed in an agricultural harvester to damage seeds that are present in crop residue to prevent the seeds from germinating after the crop residue is discharged from the agricultural harvester back into the field.

Systems and methods are provided for processing seeds collected from a field. One example system includes a trailer supporting a hopper configured to hold seeds to be devitalized, a mill configured to devitalize the seeds held in the hopper, and a spreader configured to discharge the devitalized seeds from the system. A first transport assembly interconnects the hopper and the mill, on the trailer, to transport the seeds from the hopper to the mill. And, a second transport assembly interconnects the mill and the spreader, on the trailer, to transport the devitalized seeds from the mill to the spreader.

A milling installation and a corresponding method for the milling and/or crushing of granular fruits or the like provide optimized closed-loop and open-loop control. A central closed-loop and open-loop control apparatus provides the optimized control of the milling installation. Memory-programmable controllers are connected bidirectionally via network interfaces to the central closed-loop and open-loop control apparatus and/or addressed and controlled by transmitted control parameters. The control apparatus controls centrally, in particular in a web-based manner, the processing apparatuses of different passages of the same or different mills. During the generation of the control parameters, a distinction is drawn between passage-specific and environment-specific management/operating parameters.

A milling installation and a corresponding method for the milling and/or crushing of granular fruits or the like provide optimized closed-loop and open-loop control. A central closed-loop and open-loop control apparatus provides the optimized control of the milling installation. Memory-programmable controllers are connected bidirectionally via network interfaces to the central closed-loop and open-loop control apparatus and/or addressed and controlled by transmitted control parameters. The control apparatus controls centrally, in particular in a web-based manner, the processing apparatuses of different passages of the same or different mills. During the generation of the control parameters, a distinction is drawn between passage-specific and environment-specific management/operating parameters.

A quantitative infrared chemical imaging method to determine the concentration of a desired high value product in a milling process is used as a basis to optimize the milling process by changing operational parameters, such as sieve size. In a dry milling process, the method can be used to determine the concentration of purified endosperm within heterogeneous solid particulate mixtures containing endosperm and nonendosperm botanical parts. The imaging component accommodates the analysis of particle size statistics for each component of the mixture, based upon the chemical structural characterization. Timely chemical composition and particle size analyses enables informed selection for the optimization of physical separation for the processing of granular solids. The method involves changing sieves within the sifting apparatus based on chemical imaging to provide smaller or larger screen openings to improve separation of endosperm and nonendosperm material from the ground product.

Disclosed are grain crushing apparatuses and processes for processing grain. In one embodiment, a grain crushing apparatus includes a first and second sidewall spaced apart from one another a throat dimension in a first direction, and a first and second support shaft positioned transverse to the first and sidewall. The grain crushing apparatus also includes a first and second grain crushing roller. The grain crushing rollers are intermeshed with one another and maintained at positions spaced apart from one another such that they overlap by a distance less than the tooth height. The process is a method for the grown and harvested grain to be shelled, cleaned, stored and then incrementally or iteratively crushed by the shown apparatus or an equal type such that the crushed grain of various sizes may be separated by a sieve and remain as crushed grain with the germ protected uncut, unruptured and intact.

Disclosed are grain crushing apparatuses and processes for processing grain. In one embodiment, a grain crushing apparatus includes a first and second sidewall spaced apart from one another a throat dimension in a first direction, and a first and second support shaft positioned transverse to the first and sidewall. The grain crushing apparatus also includes a first and second grain crushing roller. The grain crushing rollers are intermeshed with one another and maintained at positions spaced apart from one another such that they overlap by a distance less than the tooth height. The process is a method for the grown and harvested grain to be shelled, cleaned, stored and then incrementally or iteratively crushed by the shown apparatus or an equal type such that the crushed grain of various sizes may be separated by a sieve and remain as crushed grain with the germ protected uncut, unruptured and intact.