MANUFACTURE AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF A CIRCULAR SAW MOWER FOR CUTTING SOME CROP RESIDUES

El-Sharabasy, Moheb M. A.

doi:10.21608/mjae.2013.102127

MANUFACTURE AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF A CIRCULAR SAW MOWER FOR CUTTING SOME CROP RESIDUES

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Moheb M. A. El-Sharabasy

Assist. Prof. of Agric. Eng., Fac. of Agric., Zagazig Univ., Egypt.

10.21608/mjae.2013.102127

Abstract

The object of the present study was to manufacture and evaluate a small self propelled machine for cutting some crop residues grown during Egyptian summer season. It consists of twin saw circular discs and transmission system to transmit the rotating motion from the machine engine to the saw circular discs. This machine was constructed and evaluated to find out the optimum operating parameters for cutting cotton, maize and sunflower residues at four saw disc rotating speeds of 1500 (19.50), 1800 (23.40), 2100 (27.30) and 2500 (32.50), rpm (m/s); four machine forward speeds of 0.8, 1.0, 1.2 and 1.5 km/h and four average stalks moisture contents of 18.45, 25.15, 31.20 and 42.10 %; 29.32, 37.66, 41.26 and 53.41 % and 17.88, 23.27, 29.35 and 40.63 % for cotton maize and sunflower stalks, respectively. The obtained results revealed that: Field capacity and cutting height increased as the kinematic parameter decreased. Field efficiency and cutting efficiency increased as the kinematic parameter increased. Required power and consumed energy decreased as the kinematic parameter decreased. Kinematic parameter of 81.98 recorded minimum criterion cost. Stalks moisture contents of 31.20, 41.26 and 29.35 % considered the suitable values for cutting cotton, maize and sunflower residues, respectively.

Main Subjects

Agricultural Power and Machinery Engineering

References

ASAE (1994): Standards engineering practices data. Library of congress by the American society of Agric. Eng. Pp: 450.

Awady, M. N. (1978): Tractor and farm machinery. Text book, Faculty of Agriculture, Ain-Shams University. Pp: 164-167.

Awady, M. N; E. Y. Ghoneim and A. A. El-Nakib (1985): Cotton stalk pulling force and energy requirement. Misr J. Agric. Eng., 2(2): 3-15.

Awady, M. N; E. Y. Ghoneim and A. I. Hashish (1982): A critical comparison between wheat combine harvester under Egyptian conditions. R. S. No. 1920, Ain-Shams University. (FAO) Journal.

Awady, M. N; E. Y. Ghoniem and E. A. Sahar (1986): Evaluation of a rotary harvesters in cutting cotton stalk. Misr J. Agric. Eng., 3(2): 59-68.

Chattopadhyay, P. S and K. P. Pandey (2001): Impact cutting behaviour of sorghum stalks using a flail-cutter-a mathematical model and its verification. Journal of agricultural Engineering Research, 78(4): 369-376.

Hoseinzadeh, B; A. Esehaghbeygi and N. Raghami (2009): Effect of moisture content, bevel angle and cutting speed on shearing energy of three wheat varieties. World Applied Sciences Journal, 7 (9): 1120-1123.

Hunt, D. (1983): Farm power and machinery management. 8^th Ed. Iowa state Univ., Press Ames, USA. Ames, Iowa, USA: 364-368.

Imbabi, A. T. (1992): Design and development of rotary harvester for sesame crop. Ph. D. Thesis, Agric. Eng. Dept., Fac. Of Agric., Cairo Uni., Egypt.

Imbabi, A. T. (1997): Performance of three different shapes of rotary cutter during cutting maize stalks. Misr J. Agric. Eng., 14(2): 229-246.

Lungkapin, J; V. M. Salokhe, R. Kalsirisilp and H. Nakashima (2007): Laboratory studies of the stem cutting unit of a cassava planter. Agricultural Engineering International: the CIGR E journal. July, 2007.

Mc Randal, D. M. and P. B. Mc Nulty (1978): Impact cutting behavior of forage crops. Mathematical models and laboratory test. Journal of Agricultural Engineering Research, 23 (3): 313-328.

Morad, M. M. (1995): optimizing the rotary mower kinematic parameter for minimum mowing cost. Misr J. Agric. Eng., 12 (2): 353-363.

Sahar, E. A. (1988): Design of a harvester appropriate for Egyptian agriculture. M. Sc. Thesis, Agric. Eng. Dept., Fac. of Agric., Ain Shams Uni., Egypt.

Tavakoli H; SS. Mohtasebi and A. Jafari (2009): Physical and mechanical properties of wheat straw as influenced by moisture content. Agro physics, 23:175-181.