TECHNOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION FOR AUTOMATING THE CULTIVATION OF BLUEBERRIES IN BLUEBERRY PLANTATIONS ESTABLISHED ON DEPLETED PEAT MILLING FIELDS

In order to increase the cost-effectiveness of blueberry (Vaccinium) cultivation in blueberry plantations, all of its technological operations should be automatized. It is reasonable to start the automation of blueberry cultivation from the technological operation of fertilising the blueberries as the main purpose of this operation is to dose a prescribed amount of fertiliser under the plant’s crown. When a new blueberry plantation is established on depleted peat milling fields, then the plants are set at pre-determined steps into parallel rows. Fertilisation of the plants in the first years of growth must be performed individually, i.e. each plant is fertilised separately. This is called precision fertilisation. In order to design the technological devices for blueberry cultivation, including the fertiliser robot, we must know the location of plants on the field or, more precisely, their position in the row. The goal of this study is to determine the position of blueberry plants in the plantation. In order to meet the goal, measurements were performed in the blueberry plantation and the position of plants in randomly chosen row was measured. It became clear from the study that plants are not positioned regularly at equal intervals in a straight line; therefore, the fertiliser robot to be designed must include the functions of plant identification and control of fertiliser jet to ensure individual or precision fertilisation of plants

EXPLORATION OF THE POSSIBILITIES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF TABLEWARE FROM THE BRAN OF VARIOUS CEREALS

Biodegradable and compostable tableware is significantly more environment and nature friendly than disposable tableware and drinkware made of plastic. Tableware made of wheat bran, but also corn and rice bran is already commercially available. It is reasonable to use the by-products of the milling of also other cereals, like rye bran, barley bran and oat bran, for the production of tableware. The aim of this research was to explore the possibilities for the production of tableware and drinkware from the by-products of the milling of wheat and also other cereals like rye and oat bran. In order to achieve the aim, compacts were moulded from rye bran and oat bran and mixtures of bran (wheat bran and rye bran) using various work modes. The moulding of the compacts included different temperatures of the mould, moulding durations and compressive forces. The mechanical properties like density and flexural strength of the compacts were determined and the compostability of the compacts was studied. The test bodies were placed inside a compost bin to check their compostability and to determine the duration of composting.Biodegradable and compostable tableware is significantly more environment and nature friendly than disposable tableware and drinkware made of plastic. Tableware made of wheat bran, but also corn and rice bran is already commercially available. It is reasonable to use the by-products of the milling of also other cereals, like rye bran, barley bran and oat bran, for the production of tableware. The aim of this research was to explore the possibilities for the production of tableware and drinkware from the by-products of the milling of wheat and also other cereals like rye and oat bran. In order to achieve the aim, compacts were moulded from rye bran and oat bran and mixtures of bran (wheat bran and rye bran) using various work modes. The moulding of the compacts included different temperatures of the mould, moulding durations and compressive forces. The mechanical properties like density and flexural strength of the compacts were determined and the compostability of the compacts was studied. The test bodies were placed inside a compost bin to check their compostability and to determine the duration of composting

Comparison between finite element analysis and rheological models for chip formation

In the process of cutting, often the selection of cutting parameters is done considering empirical methods. This approach is more expensive and does not usually lead to the best solutions. Numerical methods for simulating the chip formation have been under development over the last thirty years. The aim of the present research is to compare models based on rheological properties of metals with 2D Finite Element Models of chip formation process

Improving the quality of critical tractor parts through the dynamic stabilisation of the manufacturing process in regard to CNC machines

ArticleThis article focuses on the evaluation of a rod improvement which is considered in detail below. The rod in question is part of an hydraulic cylinder manufacturing process which takes place on CNC machines. The need for ensuring a process improvement in this area arose because the rod often breaks down under operational conditions. It was found that the cause of this is a finishing operation in the existing production process. The effect of charging which occurred during the grinding process brings about the embedding of abrasive particles into the workpiece surface layer. Therefore, at the running-in stage, the mating surfaces on the rod and the system being used to seal the rings both experience intense wear in their contact areas, with this being caused by abrasive microparticles which serves to reduce the performance characteristics of the part in question. However, even if we dispense with the grinding process, ensuring the necessary roughness of Ra = 0.63 μm at the machining stage alone will present problems of their own for a number of reasons. First and foremost is the connection with the phenomenon that results in an autooscillation processes which is generated by the manufacturing system, as well as the formation of flow chips during machining on CNC machines. In this regard, in order to avoid any negative factors creeping into the process, we propose that a new approach be taken in achieving the necessary surface roughness, one which is based on the suppression of the auto-oscillation process during machining by means of creating a selective metastable structure. At the machining stage, any inhomogeneous structure in the local chip formation area will be destroyed, thereby suppressing the auto-oscillation process and reducing the surface roughness. Eventually, the proposed method will allows the grinding operation to be dispensed with entirely from the manufacturing process

The theory of cleaning the crowns of standing beet roots with the use of elastic blades

ArticleA standing beet root crown cleaner has been designed. The design comprises the vertical drive shaft that carries two flat elastic cleaning blades installed on axes and connected through the articulated connection. The aim of the study was to develop the new theory of cleaning the crowns of standing roots with the use of an elastic blade installed on the vertical drive shaft in order to determine its optimal design and kinematic parameters. The first step was to design an equivalent schematic model of the interaction between the elastic cleaning blade installed on the vertical drive shaft and the spherical surface of the beet root fixed in the soil. The interaction between the blade and the root's crown took place at the point, where all the forces that can arise during such interaction are applied. A three-dimensional coordinate system was set and the design and kinematic parameters of the considered interaction were designated. Using the original differential equations projected on the set coordinate axes, the system of four nonlinear differential equations of the three-dimensional motion of the elastic cleaning blade on the spherical surface of the root crown was set up, then it was transformed into the system of two differential equations in the normal form. Further, to determine the force that strips off the remaining haulm, which is part of the obtained system of differential equations, the problem of its analytical determination was solved separately. Also, the additional equivalent schematic model of the interaction between the elastic blade as a cantilever beam and the root's crown was designed, the differential equation of the beam's deflection curve (taking into account the beam's simultaneous bending and twisting) was set up and, on the basis of it, the projections of the stripping force on the coordinate axes were found. The values of the force were substituted in the earlier obtained system of differential equations

Intensification of rapeseed drying process through the use of infrared emitters

ArticleThe theoretical basis of the agricultural material drying techniques has been formed in the world for two and a half centuries. Nevertheless, despite the multitude of studies well presented in the literature, the i ndustry still lacks universally recognized methods of design calculation for the majority of drying problems. Presumably, this is due to the fact that the dehydration of foodstuffs is one of the most energy - intensive and complicated work processes. In the process of thermal treatment during the drying, the physical state of the water in the treated item changes, the properties of the item itself are altered. Recently, the drying of foodstuffs by means of infrared (IR) radiation has been gaining ever wider a cceptance. At the same time, the technologies for dehydrating foodstuffs and materials are now far ahead of the theory of drying. Not only the classical literature on the drying problems, but even special studies on the subject cannot provide any specific recommendations for the design of installations with the electro - magnetic principle of energy input. Whereas that is exactly the type of installations that are now actively making headway, while offering serious challenges in their modelling. For that reas on, experimenting has until now been the only reliable way of their studying. Despite the available extensive scientific literature on the drying, including works on IR units, the practical issues of engineering IR driers have not been tackled. All the exi sting studies consider solely particular cases. This study discusses the process of drying the fixed bed of rapeseeds with the use of the electromagnetic infrared emitter. The energy intensity of the process and the optimum thickness of the product bed are determined. The aim of the paper is to examine the effect that the operating condition parameter s (energy input intensity, temperature, grain bed thickness) have on the drying kinetics and the energy characteristics of the process. The methods of research are based on the thermophysical analysis of the material’s structure. The experimental studies were carried out with the use of monitoring and measuring equipment, up - to - date methods and instruments, including solutions developed by the authors. The analy tical treatment was performed with the use of the software packages: MathCAD, Excel. The sample testing and examination took place in the laboratory and the methods were in compliance with the applicable standards. A comprehensive experimental investigatio n of the effect that the operating parameter s (specific load and power) have on the rape seed IR - drying kinetics had been accomplished

Precision fertilisation technologies for berry plantation

Increased cost-effectiveness in crop production can be achieved by automating technological operations. This is also the case for berry cultivation in plantations. Starting any berry cultivation automation process should, quite naturally, begin with fertilisation, since this is the first technological operation to be carried out during the vegetation period and is a relatively simple one. The main task here is to apply the correct amount of fertiliser under the canopy of plants. Blueberry plantations that have been established on milled peat fields have plants that have been planted in parallel rows at a pre-designated interval. The fertilisation of plants must take place individually in the first years of their growth, so that each plant is fertilised separately. This form of fertilisation can be referred to as precision fertilisation. The aim of this paper was to provide an overview of the levels of technology now available when it comes to precision fertiliser equipment and to introduce the concept of a new precision-automated fertiliser unit, while also justifying the efficiency of using automated equipment. The automated fertiliser unit that is to be designed will be autonomous, will move unmanned through the plantation, and will include the necessary sub-systems for the precision fertilisation of individual plants, such as a plant detection system, a fertilising nozzle, a motion system and, additionally, a service station. On the basis of the results obtained, it can be argued that the use of an automated precision fertilisation unit increases productivity levels by approximately 2.25 times and decreases the specific fertiliser costs by approximately 8.4 times when compared with the use of a portable spot fertiliser

A theoretical and experimental study of the traction properties of agricultural gantry systems

Saabunud / Received 12.04.2020 ; Aktsepteeritud / Accepted 18.05.2020 ; Avaldatud veebis / Published online 18.05.2020 ; Vastutav autor / Corresponding author: Jüri Olt e-mail: [email protected] movement conditions experienced by an agricultural gantry system along the solid and level ground surface of permanent artificial tracks must make it possible to generate most of its maximum tractive force. Concurrently, the adhesive ability of the agricultural gantry system on the ground surface of such permanent artificial tracks must be sufficient to generate nominal drawbar pull when working at a certain level of slip. This means that there exists the need to seek out the following compromise: the maximum slippage experienced by the wheeled chassis of an agricultural gantry system must be such that, in a situation in which the level of adhesion with the surface of permanent artificial tracks is suitable, it will be able to generate the maximum possible tractive force. The effect of the parameters that involve an agricultural gantry system's wheels – and the physical and mechanical properties of the ground surface along which they move – on potential slippage has not yet been sufficiently studied. This effect cannot be taken into consideration without taking into account the dynamics of any rolling resistance being offered by the agricultural gantry system's chassis. The purpose of this particular study is to research the traction properties of an agricultural gantry system's wheeled chassis in terms of its movement along compacted and level ground upon which have been mounted permanent artificial tracks. The research determines that the wheels of such an agricultural gantry system that are rolling along permanent artificial tracks suffer less slippage and therefore generate a higher level of tractive force. As a result, the agricultural gantry system loses less of its speed of movement and, therefore, uses less energy in that movement. When an agricultural gantry system moves across an agricultural field that has been prepared for sowing, the research also determines the maximum tractive force that its wheels can develop when the adhesion coefficient is set at a figure that is between 0.22–0.24. Once such movement begins along permanent artificial tracks, this coefficient decreases to between 0.15–0.17. An agricultural gantry system's wheels are able to generate a higher level of tractive force when moving along on permanent artificial tracks. This figure is at least 30% higher when its movement has to be considered across an agricultural field that has been prepared for sowing

Theoretical research of force interaction of a flexible cleaning blade with a beet root head

ArticleThe most common technology of removing the sugar beet haulm in the world is a continuous cut of the entire mass of the green haulm with further additional removal of the upper parts of the sugar beet heads, which is carried out without extracting the roots from the ground. This is the scheme according to which most top harvesting machines, manufactured in the world, now operate. However, we have found in our studies that, due to additional cutting off the upper parts of the root crop heads, up to 10% of the sugar-bearing mass is lost. Besides, there is an urgent need for immediate processing of the sugar beet root crops, as losses of the sugar juice occur, and bacteria enter inside of the root crop through the cut-off part, causing rotting. Therefore, a more favourable operation for harvesting root crop tops is not cutting off their heads but cleaning them from the residues of the foliage. In addition, the operation of cleaning the sugar beet roots from the residues of the foliage is subject to rather high requirements due to the absence of the green and dry residues on the heads of the roots, as well as the losses and damage of the root crops themselves. The purpose of this investigation is to develop a theory of the force interaction of the flexible cleaning blade with the sugar beet head in the process of its cleaning when the blade is mounted on the vertical driving shaft. The methods used of the investigation are those of modelling, higher mathematics and theoretical mechanics, as well as programming and numerical calculations on the computer. As a result of the research, an equivalent scheme was developed and a mathematical model was constructed describing the force interaction of the flexible cleaning blade with the surface of the sugar beet root

Experimental research into uniformity in spreading mineral fertilizers with fertilizer spreader disc with tilted axis

Received: February 2nd, 2021 ; Accepted: March 27th, 2021 ; Published: April 7th, 2021 ; Correspondence: [email protected] the efficiency in the work process of mineral fertilizer dressing is a topical problem in today’s agricultural industry. The authors have developed a design of the fertilizer spreading tool with a tilted axis and carried out field experiment investigations on it. It has been established by the results of the investigations that the non-uniformity in the spreading of mineral fertilizers along the line of their departure from the fertilizer spreading tool with a tilted axis is most strongly affected by the disc rotation frequency. The obtained results provide for selecting the optimum parameters and modes of operation for the tool under consideration in the situation, when it is installed in fertilizer placing machines. Also, it has been established that increasing the spreading disc rotation frequency in such a tool from 600 to 800 rpm results in the growth of the effective range of mineral fertilizer spreading along the placing line at a level of 10.5 m. Increasing the disc’s angle of inclination to the horizontal plane to 20º results in the rise of the effective fertilizer spreading range at a level of the 48th tray (24 m) inclusive as well as the increase of the distance between the tool and the tray that contains the maximum share of the spread fertilizers (5.1%) to 24 trays (12 m). At a constant rotation frequency of the disc in the tilted-axis fertilizer spreading tool, in all its kinematic modes of operation, an increase in the angle of its disc’s inclination to the horizontal plane results in the rise of the indices representing the distribution of the mineral fertilizers over the trays along the line of their placing. The width of the mineral fertilizer spreading can be controlled by adjusting the rotation frequency of the disc in the tilted-axis fertilizer spreading tool, when it is set at an angle to the horizontal plane, similar to how it is done in state-of-the-art fertilizer placing machines with horizontally positioned discs in their centrifugal spreading tools. The rotation frequency of the disc in the tilted-axis fertilizer spreading tool has the most significant effect on the coefficient of variation incidental to the distribution of the mineral fertilizers along the line of their placing