The analysis of the process of barley grain separation from undesirable particles

Abstract

The article focuses on the intensification of raw barley grains initial purification and separation processes before the subsequent processing in the area of brewing. Above all, it deals with the physical and mechanical concepts of the purification and separation of qualitatively satisfactory grains from undesirable impurities, e.g. coarse impurities, as the prevention from the potential damage of milling and scrapping facilities. Four different cultivated barley species were tested within the study. Physical and mechanical parameters were determined in all samples, for instance powder density, angle of internal friction and external friction angle with steel contact material, particle size distribution and morphology. The first results of measuring revealed the difference in the quality of initial entering component of barley grains before the purification process compared to the output quality of grains after machine purification and separation processes in the facilities determined for the subsequent grain storage. As a result of the non-effective process of separation, the final quality of the product, i.e. the beer, may be affected by the qualitative parameters of partial processes involved in treating barley grains.