Abstract
Aiming at the problem of floating shellfish boxes interfering with kelp harvesting when mechanized kelp harvesting is based on shellfish–kelp mixed culture mode, this paper combines the structural characteristics of the shellfish box itself, designs the kelp harvesting unit test bench and develops a shellfish box separator device. The key factors affecting the box separator’s separation effect were derived through the theoretical analysis. The process of separation of a shellfish box by the box separator is simulated and optimized under the derived boundary conditions. The single-factor test for the separating effect of the box separator was conducted with ADAMS kinematics simulation software. The test showed the optimal utility intervals for the key factors under consideration. Further orthogonal tests were conducted for the three key factors, which were ranked in descending order of importance as box separator separation angle θ, box separator taper angle β and box separator placement depth h. The optimal parameter combination is the box separator separation angle of 31.9°, the box separator taper angle of 30° and the box separator placement depth of 550 mm. Verification experiments have shown that both indicators, the farthest horizontal distance of the shellfish box and the angle of the shellfish box deviating from the box separator, meet the actual production requirements. In summary, the separator can effectively separate the shellfish box from the kelp, and the device is simple in design, quick in operation, and accomplished separation without disturbing shellfish. This study can provide a theoretical basis for the separation technology of kelp and shellfish box under shellfish–kelp mixed culture mode.