The article presents the results of experimental research of the technical equipment for harvesting Miscanthus rhizomes, in order to determine the following working qualitative indexes: the percentage of extractedrhizomes, the degree of rhizome damage, rhizome losses at harvesting, the content of impurities in the mass of rhizomes and the degree of separation of extracted rhizomes. The results obtained in the experimental researches help improving the equipment for harvesting Miscanthus rhizomes in order to meet the quality requirements of the work.Experimental researches were carried out under field conditions, on the experimental plot of INMA Bucharest, the development stage of energy plant Miscanthus being in the 7th year of growing

BRACACESCU, C.

GRIGORE, I.

SORICA, C.

SORICA, E.

ZAICA, AL.

Annals of the University of Craiova - Agriculture, Montanology, Cadastre Series

Analele Universităţii din Craiova, seria Agricultură – Montanologie – Cadastru (Annals of the University of Craiova - Agriculture,Montanology, Cadastre Series)Vol. XLVI 2016568EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCHES ON THE WORKING QUALITATIVEINDEXES OF TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT FOR HARVESTINGMISCANTHUS RHIZOMESSORICĂ E.1), SORICĂ C.1), ZAICA AL.1), BRĂCĂCESCU C. 1), GRIGORE I.1)1)INMA Bucharest;E-mail: postelnicu.elena@yahoo.comKeywords:harvesting equipment, work qualitative indexes, rhizomesABSTRACTThe article presents the results of experimental research of the technical equipmentfor harvesting Miscanthus rhizomes, in order to determine the following working qualitativeindexes: the percentage of extractedrhizomes, the degree of rhizome damage, rhizomelosses at harvesting, the content of impurities in the mass of rhizomes and the degree ofseparation of extracted rhizomes. The results obtained in the experimental researcheshelp improving the equipment for harvesting Miscanthus rhizomes in order to meet thequality requirements of the work.Experimental researches were carried out under field conditions, on theexperimental plot of INMA Bucharest, the development stage of energy plant Miscanthusbeing in the 7th year of growing.INTRODUCTIONWithin the renewable energy sources, energy cultures represent one of the mostattractive options to replace fossil fuels. Currently, energy from biomass represents 10-12% of total energy consumption for heating and cooking food.Miscanthus culture plays an important role for the production of heat andbioethanol. A hectare of Miscanthus can produce an average amount of 23 ... 25 tons ofbiomass with a humidity of 10 ... 16% and a calorific value equivalent to 14 tons of coaland 10 tons of oil. Miscanthus is one of the most efficient cultures. Net calorific value,relative to the dry biomass is 17 MJ/kg or 4.75 kWh/ kg. [1]Energy plant Miscanthus has a significant potential for our country, taking intoaccount that Romania has an agricultural potential that is not totally exploited and in ruralareas the main source of heating during winter is the woody biomass, coming from forestareas under extinction. Rhizome harvesting is a determining factor in terms of quality ofthe seedling material used for the establishment of a new culture. [1, 3, 5] This operationmust ensure obtaining a biological material without mechanical damage for maintainingviability during its transport and storage.Brown rhizomes (Fig. 1) are irregularly shaped, with protuberances and evenpronounced branches, their thickness varying between 7 and 12 mm.Fig. 1 – Miscanthus rhizomesAnalele Universităţii din Craiova, seria Agricultură – Montanologie – Cadastru (Annals of the University of Craiova - Agriculture,Montanology, Cadastre Series)Vol. XLVI 2016569In most cases, for harvesting the seedling material are used other machinesdestined to harvest other crops such as potatoes and onions by adapting variousconstructive solutions with less satisfying results in terms of seedling material quality andenergy consumption for the harvesting work. However, there are specialized machines toextract the seedlings or other plants that can be successfully used to extract Miscanthusrhizomes. Worldwide, a well-known company is Egedal (Denmark); it producesdisplacement equipment of RR and SR-2 range, adapted for Miscanthus plant. [1]MATERIAL AND METHODThe experiments under field conditions, to determine working qualitative indexes ofthe technical equipment for harvesting Miscanthus rhizomes, were performed on theexperimental plot of INMA Bucharest (fig. 2).Fig. 2 – ERR equipment used in experiments [3]ERR technical equipment for harvesting Miscanthus rhizomes (fig. 3) is used withinthe technology of Miscanthus rhizomes capitalization and works in aggregate with 70 ... 80HP tractor, consisting of: frame, eccentric separator, displacement ploughshare, twowheels (left and right) and hydraulic motor.The displacement process consists in deep loosening of soil without turning it over,destruction of the links between soil and rhizomes and pushing them upward toward theoscillating grates which, by sieving, separate the rhizomes of impurities and dirt and leavethem on the ground in furrow to be loaded into the transportation means. [2, 3, 4]Fig. 3 – Technical equipment for harvesting Miscanthus rhizomes ERRCharacteristics of Miscanthus culture where the tests were performed are listed inTable 1.Analele Universităţii din Craiova, seria Agricultură – Montanologie – Cadastru (Annals of the University of Craiova - Agriculture,Montanology, Cadastre Series)Vol. XLVI 2016570Table 1 [3]Characteristics of Miscanthus culture UM ValueStage of development - Miscanthus after the 7thyear of growingDistance between rows when culture isestablishedcm 80Height of vegetable remains after harvesting cm 15...20Maximum depth at the bottom of rhizomes cm 15Measuring equipment and devices used for testingMeasuring and control equipment and devices used to determine the workqualitative indexes of the technical equipment for harvesting Miscanthus rhizomes are thefollowing:- for size: 3m measuring tape, 8m measuring tape, 60m measuring tape;- for weight: METTLER PM 6000 electronic balance (fig. 4), mechanical balance withmeasuring range from 1 to 150 kg (fig. 5);Fig. 4 – Precision electronic balance METTLER PM 6000Fig. 5 – Mechanical balance with measuring range from 1 to 150 kg;- digital electronic penetrometer with FIELDSCOUT SC 900 cone (fig. 6) measures theresistance force at cone penetration in soil layers (expressed in pressure units kPa) withthe help of an electronic force transducer and the depth (position) of cone penetration inthe soil by using a position sensor (level sensor) with ultrasound generator.Fig. 6 – Digital electronic penetrometer with FIELDSCOUT SC 900 coneAnalele Universităţii din Craiova, seria Agricultură – Montanologie – Cadastru (Annals of the University of Craiova - Agriculture,Montanology, Cadastre Series)Vol. XLVI 2016571- soil capacitive humidometer FIELDSCOUT TDR 300 (fig. 7) is designed for monitoringand recording soil humidity and includes “data logger” functions (storage/data processing).It can be used for any type of soil, in any climate conditions.Fig. 7 – Soil capacitive humidometer FIELDSCOUT TDR 300RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONSFollowing the experimental researches to determine soil characteristics and workingqualitative indexes, the following results were obtained: soil humidity (Table 2)Table 2Characteristic TestsAverageSoil humidity at differentdepths, % Test 1 Test 2 Test 30 - 5 cm 23.3 23.9 22.8 23.335 – 10 cm 33.2 31.3 31.7 32.0610 – 15 cm 39.9 32.5 37.3 36.5615 – 20 cm 42.1 35.9 40.6 39.5320 – 25 cm 41.9 36.2 40.4 39.50 soil resistance to penetration – penetration tension values, determined bypenetrometer, are listed in kPa. Thus, to express penetration resistance force, thefollowing formula is used:F S where F is the penetration resistance force, in N;σ – penetration tension, MPa;S – the area of cone base section mounted at the top of the penetrometer rod, mm2.(cone base area d=12.7 mm,24dS   )This way the values of penetration resistance force are obtained. They areillustrated in table 3.Table 3Characteristic TestsAverageSoil penetration resistanceforce at different depths, N Test 1 Test 2 Test 35 cm 145.58 115.52 124.52 128.5410 cm 240.17 249.04 204.58 231.2615 cm 271.21 244.61 273.42 263.0820 cm 204.58 177.85 185.55 189.3225 cm 293.89 301.49 275.64 290.34 percentage of extracted rhizomes – after one pass of the machine, on a surface of 1 m2the total displaced mass is collected, containing the mass of extracted rhizomes(cleaned rhizomes and impurities) and earth, stones, vegetable remains harvestedAnalele Universităţii din Craiova, seria Agricultură – Montanologie – Cadastru (Annals of the University of Craiova - Agriculture,Montanology, Cadastre Series)Vol. XLVI 2016572together with the rhizomes. On the same surface, the rhizomes remained in the soil areharvested manually.  Total displaced mass, the mass of extracted rhizomes (cleanedrhizomes and impurities) and the rhizomes that remained in the soil are weighed.Total displaced mass is formed of extracted rhizomes mass and the mass of earth,stones and vegetable remains harvested together with the rhizomestd rd pm m m where mrd is extracted rhizomes mass;mp – mass of earth, stones and vegetable remains harvested together with therhizomes.rd rc im m m where mrc is cleaned rhizomes mass;mi – impurities mass.The percentage of extracted rhizomes was determined using the following formula:100rcdrc smPm m  [%]where ms is the mass of rhizomes that remained in the soil; damage degree (GV) - was determined using the formula:100VVrcmGm  [%], where mV – damaged rhizomes masswhile the percentage of seriously damaged rhizomes was determined using the formula:100GVGVrcmPm  [%] rhizomes losses at harvest (P) – of the total rhizome production (extracted rhizomesmrd and rhizomes that remained in the soil ms) were considered as losses the un-extracted rhizomes (remained in the soil) and those seriously damaged during theharvesting process, according to the formula:100)100(  SrcGVdmmmPP [%] content of impurities in harvested rhizomes mass (Ci) – to determine it, clean rhizomesand the impurities mass (earth, stones and the vegetable remains harvested togetherwith the rhizomes) were weighed. To establish the content of impurities, the testdisplaced mass (cleaned rhizomes mass and impurities mass) represent 100% andseparate fractions report to it.100 100i iird rc im mCm m m    [%] extracted rhizomes separation degree (Gs)100 100rc rcsrd rc im mGm m m    [%]Values obtained from measurements are presented in Table 4.Table 4Workingdepth,cmWorkingspeed[Km/h]Totaldisplacedmassmtd [kg]Extractedrhizomes massmrd [kg]Mass ofearth,stonesandvegetableremainsmp [kg]Cleanedrhizomesmassmrc [kg]Impurities massmi [kg]Damagedrhizomes massmv [kg]Seriouslydamaged massmgv [kg]Mass ofrhizomes thatremained in thesoilms [kg]15 cm 3.2 120.9 12.9 108 6.8 6.1 0.12 0.03 0.1Analele Universităţii din Craiova, seria Agricultură – Montanologie – Cadastru (Annals of the University of Craiova - Agriculture,Montanology, Cadastre Series)Vol. XLVI 2016573Working qualitative indexes are presented in Table 5.Table 5Workingdepth,cmWorkingspeed[Km/h]Percentage ofextractedrhizomesPd [%]DamagedegreeGV [%]Percentage ofseriouslydamagedrhizomes,PGV [%]Rhizomeslosses atharvestP [%]Content ofimpurities inextractedrhizomesmassCi [%]Separationdegree ofextractedrhizomesGs [%]15 cm 3.2 98.55 1.76 0.44 1.88 47.28 52.71CONCLUSIONSFor obtaining a well-established culture, a high quality seedling material is a must.Rhizomes must be taken from the fields cultivated with Miscanthus especially aimed toobtain biologic material and young plants must be harvested, not plants coming from alate, aged crop.Using specialised harvesting machines reduces rhizomes mechanical damagedegree this way ensuring their increased viability.Natural compaction of field and plants’ root system expanding due to culture maturestage, identified at crops longer than 3 years make the harvest slower, leading to lowerqualitative indexes, increased fuel consumption and accelerated wear of active parts ofrhizomes harvesting machines. This shortcoming was noticed during the experimentalresearches, mostly due to the fact that the crops, cultivated on the experimental plotresearch were performed on, were in their 7th year of growing.Plants’ root system expanding did not allow a higher working speed during thetrialswhich led to a worsening of the separation process during technical equipmenttechnological flow.BIBLIOGRAPHY1. Postelnicu, E., Sorică, C., Grigore, I., Ludig, M., Niţu, M., 2012 - Methods forobtaining seedling material in order to promote energy plant Miscanthus, Annals ofUniversity of Craiova, series Agriculture – Mountain Agriculture – Lands and Surveys,Volume XLII 2012/2, page 419-423,Craiova,http://cis01.central.ucv.ro/analele_universitatii;2. Sorică, C., Voicu, E., Manea, D., 2009 –Technology for promotion in Romania ofenergy crop Miscanthus, as renewable resource to increase energy competitiveness inindependence purposes– in INMATEH Journal. No. 29 (2009-III), page 19-26, Bucharest,ISSN 1583-1019, http://www.inma.ro/inmateh;3. Sorică, E., (2015), Experimental research on technical equipment for harvestingMiscanthus rhizomes, Papernr. 5, Doctoral School.4. Voicu, E., et al., 2009 - Alternative energies based on superior capitalization ofMiscanthus plant and of biomass in Austria,AGRICULTURE MECHANIZATION Journal,No. 1, Bucharest;5.Voicu, E., Pirnă, I., Ciurel, G., Chiţoiu, M., Brkic, M., 2010 - Researches on harvestingof Miscanthus crop with the forage harvester, in INMATEH Journal, No. 32 (2010-III), page37-42, Bucharest, ISSN 1583-1019, http://www.inma.ro/inmateh.

EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCHES ON THE WORKING QUALITATIVE INDEXES OF TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT FOR HARVESTING MISCANTHUS RHIZOMES

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EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCHES ON THE WORKING QUALITATIVE INDEXES OF TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT FOR HARVESTING MISCANTHUS RHIZOMES

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Annals of the University of Craiova - Agriculture, Montanology, Cadastre Series