Wood Splitter For Household Use
Wood Splitter For Household Use
Wood Splitter For Household Use
2/2020)
Magazine of Hydraulics, Pneumatics, Tribology, Ecology, Sensorics, Mechatronics
Abstract: The article deals with the concrete problem of making a wood splitter that can be used in an
individual household which is heated with wood. It goes without saying that there are a lot of types of wood
splitters on the market, the important issue being the way of selecting the most useful technical-economic
variant. The basis of the article is the choice of the constructive solution, the elaboration of the main design
elements of the chosen solution and the simple way of calculating the drive installation, which in this case is
a hydraulic drive.
Keywords: Wood splitters; Electrohydraulic Mobile; Drive
1. Introduction
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ISSN 1453 – 7303 “HIDRAULICA” (No. 2/2020)
Magazine of Hydraulics, Pneumatics, Tribology, Ecology, Sensorics, Mechatronics
The role of the equipment is to replace the efforts made manually, with the axe, in the activity of
cracking, or breaking wood of lengths between 20 cm and 60 cm and thicknesses (diameters) of
up to 30 cm. Although the solution is for any user of cracked wood, it is good for the staff working
with the machine to specialize in such work.
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ISSN 1453 – 7303 “HIDRAULICA” (No. 2/2020)
Magazine of Hydraulics, Pneumatics, Tribology, Ecology, Sensorics, Mechatronics
Fig. 1 shows a general assembly of the proposed wood splitter solution. The whole assembly is
placed on the frame (1), which in turn is equipped with two transport wheels and a set of lifting
arms (9) for transport. Transport can be done by pushing by workers, by tying to a low-power
vehicle, or even by pulling with the help of animals. When the machine is positioned for work, a
large enough place is chosen to be able to carry out all the phases from loading to completion. The
mains supply does not require special preparations but the normal ones for starting any 2 ... 3kW
machine. The first phase in the working mode is to start the hydraulic group (7) and then to lift 2…4
wood with the help of the lifting platform (6) at the maximum level, meaning at 30 degrees above
the horizontal. From here a wood is transferred manually on the frame. The next step is to position
the knife (4) in the appropriate position in height by means of a lever. Next, the hydraulic directional
control valve (10) is actuated to start the movement of the working cylinder towards the wood.
Immediately the wood is pushed towards the knife by the pusher plate (3) and the wood will be
cracked. If cracking does not begin immediately, the force in the cylinder (2) will increase by
increasing the working pressure to 150 bar. This pressure will increase the pushing force up to 7 tf,
sufficient for any type of wood. After the wood has cracked, it is ordered by means of the
directional control valve (10) to remove the cylinder rod and the pusher plate while the broken
(cracked) wood is thrown on the ground.
For the exact understanding of the operation, the hydraulic diagram from fig. 2 can also be used.
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ISSN 1453 – 7303 “HIDRAULICA” (No. 2/2020)
Magazine of Hydraulics, Pneumatics, Tribology, Ecology, Sensorics, Mechatronics
The splitting consists in the penetration of a wooden feather in the direction of the fibre, which it
crushes and compresses in the transverse direction.
Splitting force - is the pressing force generated by the hydraulic cylinder. This depends on the
internal section of the hydraulic cylinder and the pressure in the hydraulic system [6].
The splitting force varies within very large limits depending on the structure of the wood, its length
and diameter, knots, the length of the splitting feather, species, fibre distribution, etc.
For the calculation of the dimensioning of the splitting equipment, the force necessary for the
splitting process is started (1).
F=k∙p∙L∙d (1)
where:
k - a coefficient that takes into account the feather angle and the state of sharpening, the species
of the wood, the humidity of the wood and the dimensions of the support on which the splitting
wood is placed; indicative values between 0.003 and 0.009;
p - specific resistance to splitting; the resistance to compression parallel to the fibre has values
between 30 - 90 N/mm2, depending on the essence of the wood.
L, d - length and diameter of the wood that splits;
For the calculation, slightly above average values will be chosen (2):
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ISSN 1453 – 7303 “HIDRAULICA” (No. 2/2020)
Magazine of Hydraulics, Pneumatics, Tribology, Ecology, Sensorics, Mechatronics
To achieve this force, a hydraulic cylinder will be used that admits a maximum pressure of 200 bar
(kgf / cm2).
4∙5000
Dp = √3.14∙200 = √31.84 = 5.64 cm = 56 mm (4)
where Dp is piston diameter
For the calculation of the pump flow, Qn it is considered that the maximum speed of the force
cylinder, vcf :
For the calculation of the pump, it is considered with the rotative speed of the electric drive motor,
n:
n = 1500 rev /min (10)
Q
Vg = = 5.6 cm3 / rev, where Vg is geometric volume (11)
n
We choose a pump with Vga = 6 cm3 / rev (chosen geometric volume) that will give a maximum
flow (real), Q r :
Qr = 𝑛Vga = 9 l/min (12)
The electric motor has the power, Ne :
p∙Q 200∙9
Ne = 612 = = 2.94 kW (13)
612
A 3-kW single-phase electric motor with a speed n = 1500 rpm will be chosen.
The equipment also has a lifting device that uses a hydraulic cylinder with a much lower force
approx. 200 kgf, which from the calculation would be with Dp between 10 and 15mm, but taking
into account the working conditions will be chosen by 32 or 40.
All hydraulic equipment will be chosen by size Dn 6.
5. Conclusions
The variant proposed for the realization of the horizontal wood splitter, with hydraulic drive, has a
2-kW single-phase electric motor, easy to connect to any household network.
The machine can be equipped with directional control valve with electric or manual control of
nominal size Dn6.
The machine is designed to be able to develop higher forces for short periods than those stated in
the data sheet.
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ISSN 1453 – 7303 “HIDRAULICA” (No. 2/2020)
Magazine of Hydraulics, Pneumatics, Tribology, Ecology, Sensorics, Mechatronics
The article is a practical solution for designing and making wood splitting equipment, easy to
maintain and use by households that use wood for heating.
Acknowledgments
This paper has been developed in INOE 2000-IHP, as part of a project co-financed by the European Union
through the European Regional Development Fund, under Competitiveness Operational Programme 2014-
2020, Priority Axis 1: Research, technological development and innovation (RD&I) to support economic
competitiveness and business development, Action 1.2.3 – Partnerships for knowledge transfer, project title:
Eco-innovative technologies for recovery of biomass wastes, project acronym: ECOVALDES, SMIS code:
105693, Financial agreement no. 129/23.09.2016.
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