Performance characteristics of Jatropha ethyl ester as diesel engine fuel at different compression ratios

The results of the performance and emission of a variable compression ratio ignition engine (vertical single cylinder) by using Jatropha ethyl ester blends with diesel fuel at two levels of compression ratio (16.5:1 and 18.5:1) have been presented in this paper.  The fuel samples were prepared by blending Jatropha ethyl ester with diesel in the composition of 0:100, 10:90, 20:80, 30:70 and 40:60 (%).  Results indicated that Brake thermal efficiency for all biodiesel blends was more as compared to diesel.  Brake thermal efficiency increased with the increase in load and also increased with the increase in compression ratio.  Brake specific fuel consumption in case of blends was more as compared to diesel.  Brake specific fuel consumption decreased with the increase in load as well as with the increase in compression ratio. Exhaust gas temperature increased with the increase in load and also increased with the increase in compression ratio for all fuel blends.   Keywords: Jatropha ethyl ester, diesel engine, compression ratio, brake thermal efficiency, brake specific fuel consumptio

Analysis of straw bruising and sieving system on performance of modified wheat straw combine for better straw quality

Wheat straw is a major feed source for ruminants. To retrieve the wheat straw and stubbles left after wheat harvesting operation with grain combines, another machine i.e. straw combine is used. But it was observed that the quality straw collected by straw combines contains dirt particles which increases total ash content of straw and that are harmful for animal health. To reduce energy requirement and to reduce total ash content, straw combine was developed with sieving system. Modified straw combine consisted of a 1.53×0.82 m screen with 0.208 mm opening sieving system, which was fixed below the bruising cylinder. Field evaluation of the modified straw combine carried out at two level of concave bar spacing (10 & 14 mm), three feed rate (14, 16.5 & 19 q/h) and three cylinder speed (28.45, 32.25 &36.04 m/s). It was observed that at 14 mm concave bar spacing, 28.45 m/s cylinder speed, minimum net specific energy requirement was found to be 0.42 kWh/q when the feed rate was 19 q/h. During straw bruising, average straw length varied from 12.22-20.23 mm and 16.07-25.26 mm at concave bar spacing of 10 mm and 14 mm, respectively. The maximum split straw percentage was recorded to be 98.43% at the cylinder speed of 36.04 m/s and feed rate of 19 q/h at concave bar spacing of 10 mm. The total ash content in the straw was found to be 9.61 %, at the concave bar spacing of 14 mm and 14 q/h feed rate

Razvoj i ocena rada mernog mehanizma za setvu semena crnog luka (Allium Cepa L.)

Onion (Allium cepa L) is one of the major vegetable crops grown throughout the country. It is widely grown in different parts of the country mainly by small and marginal farmers. Generally, the onion seeds are sown in nursery and transplanted with row to row spacing of 15 cm and plant to plant spacing of 7.5 cm to get optimum yield. The labour requirement in manual transplanting of onion seedlings is as high as 100 - 120 man-days·ha-1 as 8.9·105 seedlings per hectare are to be transplanted. Because of high requirement and shortage of labor, the area under onion cultivation is low and can be increased by mechanization of this crop. An inclined plate was developed for metering of onion seed. The plate was evaluated on the basis of performance parameters i.e. missing index, multiple index, average seed spacing, quality of feed index, seed rate, seed damage and degree of variation at four forward speeds (1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 km·h-1) and three angles of inclination (47o, 55o and 62o) of seed metering plate with horizontal for three cultivars of onion seed (Punjab Naroya (PN), Agrifound Light Red (ALR) and Agrifound Dark Red (ADR)). The missing index increased, whereas multiple index and seed rate decreased with increase in forward speed for all the varieties and each angle of inclination of the inclined plate with horizontal. Considering all the performance parameters, it was concluded that the forward speed should be in the range of 1 – 1.5 km·h-1 and an angle of inclination of seed plate should be 55o with horizontal.Crni luk (Allium cepa L) je jedna od glavnih povrtarskih kultura u zemlji. Gaji se u različitim delovima zemlje, široko je rasprostranjena, uglavnom kod malih farmera. Generalno, seme crnog luka se seje u rasadnik i presađuje u redove na međurednom rastojanju od 15 cm i rastojanju u redu od 7.5 cm radi dobijanja optimalnog prinosa. Ručni rad u presađivanju klijanaca luka je veoma mnogo zastupljen i iznosi 100 - 120 čovek-dana·ha-1 za 8.9·105 sadnica po hektaru. Visoki zahtevi mala raspoloživost ručnog rada doveli su do malog prostora na kome se gaju luk, a može se povećati mehanizacijom uzgoja. Zato je razvijena ploča pod nagibom kao merni uređaj za seme luka. Ploča je ispitivana na osnovu vrednosti parametara kao što su: indeks nedostatka, indeks multiplikacije, srednje rastojanje, indeks kvaliteta punjenja, norma setve, oštećenje zrna, stepen varijacije pri četiri radne brzine (1.0, 1.5, 2.0 i 2.5 km·h-1) i tri ugla nagiba (47o, 55o i 62o) merne ploče sa tri sorte luka (Punjab Naroya (PN), Agrifound Light Red (ALR) i Agrifound Dark Red (ADR)). Indeks nedostajanja se povećao, indeks multiplikacije i norma setve su se smanjili sa povećanjem brzine za sve tri sorte i svaki ugao nagiba merne ploče. Uzimajući u obzir sve parametre, zaključeno je da radna brzina treba da bude u opsegu od 1 do 1.5 km·h-1, a ugao nagiba ploče 55o u odnosu na horizontalnu ravan

Nozzle Spacing on Sprayer Boom

Agricultural sprayers are frequently used to spray pesticides on standing crops to avoid pest attack. Nozzles are placed on sprayer boom in such a way that the chemical is spread evenly over the plant canopy. The spacing between the nozzles on the boom of commonly used sprayers is quite speculative and not based on the type of nozzle, the discharge from the nozzle, operating pressure, height of the boom, etc. A computer program was developed to select appropriate spacing between the nozzles based on operating pressure, height, spray pattern, etc. The best-suited nozzle spacing was calculated on the basis of overlap of the spread patterns., Coefficient of Variation was calculated for the different levels of overlap of the spread patterns. Spacing for which the Coefficient of Variation was minimum was taken as the best suitable spacing for nozzles on the sprayer boom. The program was validated by using operational parameters of a Triple Action Nozzle with a hollow cone spread pattern. The nozzle was operated at working pressure of 4.0 kglcm2, at a height of 40 cm moving at the forward speed of2.5 km/h. The best spacing was found to be around 57 cm. The program was also used to find out the number of nozzles required for a given boom length and the total volume of chemical sprayed per hectare

Design of Ingenious Electronic Actuated Tractor Operated Liquid Urea Applicator

92-101The paper contains the design, development details, and field performance of an ingenious electronic actuated tractor operated liquid urea applicator. The fundamentals of farm machinery design were taken into consideration in order to design and select the various components for the liquid urea applicator. The five-row prototype had a row spacing of 40 cm and applied liquid urea at a spacing of 30 cm in each line. The cut-off mechanism was controlled electronically with the help of a limit switch, sensor, solenoid valve, and relay. All the selected components in the designed electronic circuit for cut-off mechanism were powered by 12V DC, and to function properly, power was taken from the tractor's battery. The applicator was developed based on design calculations and then evaluated in the laboratory as well as in field conditions. During field evaluation of the developed prototype, it was found that the application rate was 392 L∙h⁻1, actual field capacity was 0.36 ha∙h⁻1, fuel consumption was 11.3 L∙ha⁻1 with a 2.7 km∙h⁻1 forward speed of the machine. The developed machine is suitable for applying liquid urea in the mulch field with minimum disturbance of soil, plant and residue. It would help in curbing paddy straw burning and reduce fertilizer losses due to volatilization

Studies on Selected Mechanized Solutions for Efficient Incorporation of Green Manure Crop

A comparative study on incorporation of green manure crop (Sesbania aculeata) with a newly developed tractor operated biomass incorporator (BI) was conducted in contrast to prevailing technologies. Average depth of soil cut with BI (174.7 mm) was significantly higher than rotavator (71.3 mm), disc harrow (114 mm) and disc harrow plus cultivator (121 mm) at crop growth stage I (36 DAS) and stage II (50 DAS). Size of cut with BI (202 mm and 326.5 mm) was significantly lower than disc harrow, disc harrow pluscultivator and mould board plough at crop growth stage I and II. Field capacity of BI and conventional mould board plough was significantly lower than rotavator and disc harrow because of smaller width of coverage of two-bottom implements. Fuel consumption was significantly higher for rotavator at both stages of crop growth. Pulverization index was lowest with rotavator (6.70 mm and 6.98 mm), followed by BI, disc harrow plus cultivator, disc harrow and mould board plough at both crop stages. Bulk density index was significantly high for BI, followed by rotavator, mould board plough, disc harrow plus cultivator and disc harrow at both crop stages. Mixing index with BI (97.1 %) was significantly higher than all other implements. Biomass incorporator resulted in analogous mixing index at both crop stages. For all other implements, decrease in mixing index was recorded

Development of a tractor operated planter for direct sowing of onion crop

Onion (Allium cepa L.) is one of the major vegetable crop grown throughout India. A six row tractor operated planter for direct sowing of onion was developed using inclined plate seed metering mechanism. Experiments were conducted for seed metering unit in the laboratory. Inclined plates having 18, 24 and 30 grooves were evaluated in the laboratory. Performance was evaluated on the basis of missing index, multiple index and quality of feed index. Missing index was highest in case of 18 groove plate at speed of 2 km/h. It decreased with the decrease in forward speed and also with the increase in the number of grooves of the metering plate. Minimum missing index was for 30 groove plate at the speed of 1 km/h. Multiple index was highest at speed of 2 km/h for 30 groove plate. Minimum value of multiple index was 13.67 % at speed of 2 km/h for 18 groove plate. As the forward speed was increased from 1km/h up to 2 km/h, multiple index was decreased. Quality of feed index was best for 30 groove plate at the forward speed of 1.5 km/h. Based on the results of the laboratory evaluation, 30 groove seed metering plate and a forward speed of 1.5 km/h was selected for the field evaluation. Average field capacity of the machine was found to be 0.11 ha/h and average fuel consumption of the tractor was 3.2 l/h. The average germination count after 28 days of planting was found to be 14.66 plants/m row length. The average onion bulb size was found to be 4.94 cm, average bulb weight was 56.68 gm and the average yield of onion bulbs was found to be 133.6 q/ac which was comparable with that of transplanted onion

Development and Evaluation of Inclined Plate Precision Planter for Pelleted Vegetable Seed

A tractor-mounted, ground roller driven, precision planter capable of planting six rows of onion (Allium sativum L.), three rows of carrot (Daucus carota L.), and one row of radish (Raphanus sativus) on a one-meter bed was designed and fabricated. The major components of the planter included a frame and ground roller, press roller, depth controller unit, seed hopper, seed metering mechanism, sweeper, inclined plate, seed tube, and furrow openers. The metering mechanism was driven by ground wheels through a chain drive system. The performance parameters measured/calculated during the field tests included missing index, multiple indexes, quality of feed index, degree of variation, and seed damage. The seed rates achieved were 12.42, 11.26, and 34.11 kg.ha-1 for onion, carrot, and 1:3 pelleted radish seed, respectively. The marketable yields of 4.78, 2.52, and 3.51 t.ha-1 were observed for onion, carrot, and radish, respectively. The estimated operating cost of the prototype planter was 258.45 ₹.h-1. The prototype took an estimated time of 6.09 h to plant the seeds in one hectare. There was significant cost saving as compared to manual transplanting