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20201
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Subject: Farm, Machinery and Power × Author: Anil Kumar × Type: Thesis ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Design, development and evaluation of straw combine suitable for both paddy and wheat crops
    (CCSHAU, Hisar, 2020-06) Anil Kumar; Vijaya Rani
    Residue burning is major problem in rice-wheat cropping system resulting in soil health deterioration, air pollution-induced human health issues, loss of biodiversity, diminishing farm profits etc. The problem can be solved by in-situ or ex-situ management methods but none of these methods can provide ease in residue management, and they need additional cost and management skills. Keeping in mind the above, the straw combine was designed and developed. The design of straw combine was based on physical, morphological and mechanical properties of paddy and wheat straw. The morphological analysis was done using FESEM machine and mechanical proerties were studied by using Texture analyzer. The straw combine consisted of cutter bar unit (reel and cutter bar), conveying unit (feeding auger and beater), chopping unit (chaffer cylinder, basket and concave), guiding unit (rotor and sieve), blowing unit (worm, blower/fan and deflector), frame and power transmission unit. The straw combine was evaluated at 3 levels of moisture content (5, 10, 15 % in wheat and 20, 35, 50 % in paddy), 3 levels of forward speed (1.7, 1.9, 2.1 km h-1) and 3 levels of cylinder speed (29.6, 31.4, 33.2 m s-1) for field capacity, field efficiency, fuel consumption, chopping efficiency, straw split and straw size. The optimization of machine-crop parameters was done by using Multi Response Optimization (MRO) technique using desirability factor (DF). The optimal setting of machine-crop parameters in wheat straw was moisture content at 5 %, forward speed at 1.9 km h-1 and cylinder speed at 33.2 m s-1 which gaves maximum field capacity (0.32 ha h-1), field efficiency (75.04 %), chopping efficiency (99.50 %), straw split (99.28 %) and minimum straw size (13 mm) as well as fuel consumption (5.95 l h-1). The optimal setting of machine-crop parameters in paddy straw was moisture content at 20 %, forward speed at 1.9 km h-1 and cylinder speed at 33.2 m s-1 which gaves maximum field capacity (0.32 ha h-1), field efficiency (73.76 %), chopping efficiency (96.48 %), straw split (82.66 %) and minimum straw size (41.29 mm) as well as fuel consumption (6.13 l h-1). The economic analysis showed that payback period of the designed straw combine was 1.96 years if operated for 500 hours in a year (Wheat and Paddy). The result of Benefit: Cost ratio is more than unity (1.28) which indicated that investment in machine is economically viable. The straw combine designed and developed is farmer-friendly, economical and having options of removing or leaving full/partial residue from the field and works satisfactiry in both wheat and paddy straw.