Researches regarding the flow rate uniformity of the taral 200 piton turbo spraying machine for disease and pest control in vineyards and intensive orchards

Pest and disease control is one of the most important technological links, because damages caused by them can be very large. Fruit production can be completely compromised if the application of plant protection products is not done correctly and on time. Chemical control is the main method used in plant protection. To do this, specially adapted spraying equipments are used. Sprayers are equipped with different types of nozzles, made from different materials resistant to corrosion and hydro abrasion produced by the toxic products, leading to the de-calibration of the spray nozzles. Thus the flow rate of chemical solution was affected, increasing the consumption. In order to avoid this phenomenon it is recommended to test the nozzles before each campaign, by measuring the flow rate of the liquid. With this idea in mind the TARAL 200 PITON TURBO spraying equipment was tested; the procedure consisted in collecting the liquid distributed by the nozzles during two minutes; the amount of collected solution was than measured with a graduated cylinder. The experiments were carried out in four repetitions for three rotation speeds of the power take-off shaft (310, 460 to 540 rpm) and different pressures of the liquid (0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0, 1, 2 to 1.4 MPa). After determining the flow rate uniformity, it was found that the best result was obtained for rotation speeds of the power take-off shaft of 540 rpm

The evaluation of the induced soil compaction and the use of different agricultural equipment on some soil structural indicators and on the sunflower crop

Soil compaction, induced by the agricultural machinery traffic, has a significant impact on some physical and mechanical properties of the soil and, consequently, on sunflower yields. Since Romania remains the largest producer of sunflower in the European Union, special attention needs to be taken. In 2021, Romania ranked first in the EU both in terms of production and cultivated area, according to data from the statistical office of the European Union, EUROSTAT. In this research, experimental investigations were performed in order to quantify the induced soil compaction perform by simulation of the agricultural traffic through successive „wheel by wheel” crossings on sunflower crop and different systems of machinery used in soil tillage. To this end there where been carried out several experimental plots, with different degrees of compaction corroborated with different systems of machinery used in soil tillage, and the evolution of the following parameters where determined: soil penetration resistance, soil bulk density, the water stable aggregates of the structural elements and the mean weight diameter of these elements. As per findings in this research, the soil compaction performed by a tractor Valtra T-190 before plowing, through one passing and respectively two passes through successive „wheel by wheel” crossings, in order to obtain different graduations of soil compaction and with different systems of agricultural machinery used in soil tillage, had a negative impact on all indices followed in the experimental researches and, therefore, on sunflower seed yields

Experimental researches on the influence of functional parameters of gravity separator on the quality indicators of separation process with application on cleaning of wheat designed to milling

The paper presents experimental research of qualitative indexes of impurities separation out of grain seeds for equipment using combined principles of separation (according to specific mass and aerodynamic properties of seeds). The experimental installation used was composed of a gravity separator and an aspiration installation with fan. The experimental research has aimed at quantitative and qualitative influence on separation quality index of the following operating parameters: material flow rate of shaking separator, the air flow of aspiration installation, tilting work surface, work surface oscillation amplitude. Based on data obtained by measurements and qualitative indicators the separating process indexes have been determined, namely: degree of impurities separation, degree of good seeds loss),as well as, the index of technological effect for different types of combinations of separation installation parameters

Research on the influence of geometry of cutting device on harvesters during the cutting process

The paper presents a study of the influence of the constructive parameters of the blades on the cutting machines from the harvesters during the cutting process.The research focuses on the angle of sharpening of the cutting edges of the blades and the angle of inclination of the stalk during the cutting process. The blades used in the experiment have smooth and jagged cutting edges with a usual angle of 20° and modified angles of 10° and 15°. The tests were carried out using maize stalks (Zea mays) with tilt angles of 45° and 90°. The diagrams of variation of force, displacement and mechanical work during the cutting of maize stalks are presented and discussed

Influence of temperature and geometry in the kinetics of drying pears

Pears are very perishable fruit because of its high moisture content (77 – 89%). Drying is one of the practices used in the food industry to maintain quality of the final product for a period of time. The purpose of this research was to study the drying process parameters of Rochas pears variety regarding the way of partitions (slices, cubes, rings) and drying agent temperatures. Research has been carried out, with the help of a drying plant for different working conditions. The parameters of drying agent was 60° C and 70° C, the initial air humidity was 40 – 45 %, the time being set so that at the end of the drying process, the moisture content had the value of 12 to 15 %. Drying data were determined using a vertical laboratory dryer for the horticultural products and adjusted with a mathematical model. The results showed that the dividing method of pears influenced the drying process and its duration. Pears divided as cubes and dried at 70° C, reached 14 % humidity earlier than divided into slices

Experimental determination of the wear resistance of devices used for cutting the stalks of agricultural plants

The paper presents researches on the wear resistance of the blades integrated in the combine cutter for the harvesting of agricultural plants. The wear of the combine cutters causes production losses at harvesting both during operation and stopping machines to change the blades. Experimental determination of wear was made for blades on cutting attachment of three types of combines studied. The parameters determined in the wear study were the hardness, mass and roughness of both the new blades and the blades used for 100 hours of harvest operation. The analysis of the data on the degree of wear of the blades both quantitatively by determining the mass and qualitatively by studying the roughness of the used surfaces under identical conditions of operation, presents differential losses for the three combines that correlate with the blade hardness

Researches regarding the effect of air flow rate for the recycling of pesticides administered with spraying machine TARAL 200 PITON TURBE-ER

The growth technologies for orchards and vineyards include a large number of treatments for disease and pest control. Without these treatments the production can be reduced by up to 35% or even totally compromised. The pesticides used for performing phytosanitary treatments are toxic substances that can pollute air, water and soil. In addition to their effect on diseases and pests, the pesticides reaching the soil extend their action over microorganisms, leading to quantitative and qualitative changes in both the edaphical population structure and the physiological activities. In the same time the pesticides fallen on the ground can be transferred, without undergoing significant alterations, into plants, fruits, animals and finally humans, causing various diseases. Pest and disease control using phytosanitary treatments is performed by the means of specialized machines, specially designed for this purpose. The treatments are effective when the size of the dispersed droplets is in the range of tens of micrometers, in order to cover as much of the surface of the leaf system as possible. The pneumatic transportation of the droplets is accompanied by the drift phenomenon, which causes a significant amount of toxic substances to land on the soil. One solution to counteract the effect of drift is to recycle the substance that is not retained by plants. Considering this principle a recycling equipment for vineyards was designed and built; the device prevents soil pollution with the substance which is not retained on the surface of the vineyard leaves. The spraying machine was equipped with air entrainment nozzles, which prevent droplets drift due to the fact that large droplets, filled with air bubbles, are transported towards the leaves. The droplets then break easily when coming into contact with the leaves, thus leading to a better covering of the surface. During the experimental tests the effect of the air flow rate over the recycling process was studied; the TARAL 200 PITON TURBO-ER spraying machine, equipped with an axial fan, was used

Studies on the Physical Changes in Corn Seeds during Hybrid Drying (Convection and Microwave)

Hybrid seed drying technology, based on convection and microwave drying, is a modern method, and the research on the physical changes in cereal seed resulting from hybrid drying is still in its infancy. The aim of the present paper is to study the uniformity of the drying process by examining the physical changes occurring in corn seeds. An innovative drying equipment, combining convective and microwave drying, was used to dry corn seeds (variety DKC5068). The convective drying was performed during the pneumatic transport of the seeds, using hot air at a maximum temperature of 50 °C; the microwave-based drying was performed using 2.45 GHz microwaves. Thus, the seeds were volumetrically heated at a temperature which does not exceed 44 °C. The physical changes in corn seeds were measured in terms of moisture, volume, cracking and color. The results regarding the moisture and volume changes in the seeds during the drying process proved that moist seeds are more homogeneous than dry seeds. The change in volume also changed the stiffness of the seeds, which showed greater homogeneity after drying compared to wet seeds. Hybrid drying led to an average shrinkage of 8.76% compared with the original seed volume, while the percentage of seeds showing cracks after drying increased by 22%. Generally, the drying process also led to color changes, but in the case of hybrid drying the results were inconclusive. Hybrid drying of corn seeds requires a shorter time and does not significantly influence physical characteristics, compared to other drying technologies

Researches regarding the design and achievement of a fertilization machine in aggregate with a motoculture for greenhouses and solariums

The experiments were focused on the design and execution of the equipment for the administration of solid chemical fertilizers within the disciplines of Mechanization of the Ion Ionescu de la Brad University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine in Iasi. The determination of uniformity administration of solid chemical fertilizers was achieved using the gravitational method. Experience have shown that the equipment satisfies the qualitative requirements and qualities of fertilizer uniformity using a high precision method for determining the distribution of the fertilizer

Research on the operation of an innovative equipment hybrid drying

The study of the operating parameters of an innovative equipment hybrid drying for cereal seeds is important for drying technology. An optimal operation of the hybrid dryer model requires the monitoring of essential technological parameters such as the velocity, temperature and humidity of the drying agent at the entrance to the dryer, as well as the temperature plus humidity of the drying agent at its exit. The energy consumption of the hybrid drying equipment is also monitored. Equipping the hybrid dryer with sensors to track these technological parameters is important, and knowing the accuracy of their measurement both in stationary and non-stationary regimes, leads to the evaluation of the degree of variability of the acquired numerical data. An important role in the evaluation of the technological parameters of the installation is also given by the mounting position of the sensors in the hybrid drying installation. The innovative equipment hybrid drying has both a convective pre-drying component and a final drying component through high frequency currents (microwaves). In the convective drying component, the cold air is heated in a heating battery with electrical resistances to a maximum of 44.9°C at an average dryer air inlet velocity of 16.54 m/s. In the final part of the drying plant, after passing through the microwave component, the maximum temperature reaches 39.3°C. The average energy consumed in idle operation of the hybrid dryer is 1.52 kWh