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2015 - 20164
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Subject: Farm Machinery and Power Engineering × End date: 2017 × Start date: 2010 ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Studies on axial flow paddy thresher equipped with modified mechanical feeding systems
    (Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2016) Ahuja, Manish; Dogra, Baldev
    Rice (Oryza sativa) is one of the oldest known crops to have been cultivated by human. India is one of the main rice producing and consuming countries of the world. The total production of rice in India during 2013-14 was 106.64 million tonnes of which the contribution from Punjab was 11.26 million tonnes (Anon 2014a). Low capacity and higher grain losses in conventional threshers led to the development of axial flow threshing mechanism (Khan 1986). Axial flow threshers developed by IRRI in 1970s have been widely tested, evaluated and modified by the state agricultural universities and local manufacturers in India and other Asian countries. The losses in existing threshers were up to 4.49% (Anon 2011) whereas acceptable loss level for threshing cereals is of 1% (Anon 2001). The capacity of wheat threshers increased multifold when equipped with belt feeding system. Therefore, a thresher with conveyor belt type mechanical feeding system was developed in the department. There were some limitations in this system. To improvise these limitations, threshers with improvised conveyor belt type mechanical feeding system and feeder chain type mechanical feeding system were developed. This study was conducted to evaluate performance of these threshers at the departmental farm during Nov-Dec, 2015. After preliminary testing of feeder chain type thresher, its performance evaluation was studied on PR-124 to ascertain the effect of cylinder speed (12.27, 14.44 and 16.61 m/s), conveyor speed (2.52, 2.96 and 3.4 m/s) and feed rate (4.08, 4.8 and 5.52 t/h). The threshing efficiency, non-collectable loss, broken grain, cleaning efficiency, sieve overflow and torque were 98.90%, 0.55%, 0.23%, 98.44%, 0.38% and 336.3 Nm respectively at the best combination of cylinder speed, feed rate and conveyor speed of 16.61 m/s, 5.52 t/h and 2.52 m/s respectively. Similarly, the performance of conveyor belt type thresher was studied to ascertain the effect of cylinder speed (12.01, 14.13 and 16.24 m/s), conveyor speed (2.71, 3.19 and 3.66 m/s) and feed rate (5.1, 6.0 and 6.9 t/h). The threshing efficiency, non-collectable loss, broken grain, cleaning efficiency, sieve overflow and torque was 99.08%, 0.52%, 0.34%, 97.96%, 0.40% and 354.8 Nm respectively at the best combination of cylinder speed, feed rate and conveyor speed of 16.24 m/s, 6.9 t/h and 2.71 m/s respectively.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Development, Testing and Evaluation of Inclined Plate Planter for Pelleted Vegetable Seed
    (Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2016) Gautam, Anand; Khurana, Rohinish
    Onion (Allium cepa L.), Carrot (Daucus carota L.) and Radish (Raphanus sativus) are important vegetable crop grown throughout the country. Onion, carrot and radish can be grown by direct seeding method which can help in saving labour. Small and irregular shaped seeds lead to variation and placement of the seeds when sown using existing planters. Seed pelleting was done in the ratio of 1:1 to 1:3 so that the physical properties of the seeds are altered to be applicable for use with an inclined plate planter. An inclined plate planter was developed for pelleted seeds. Preliminary evaluation of the developed planter was done in the laboratory for the treated seeds (S1, S2 and S3) using different developed seed plates having 18, 24 and 30 grooves at forward speeds of 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 km/h. Performance was evaluated on the basis of average spacing, missing index, multiple index and quality of feed index. Based on average seed spacing and index value the optimum combination of direct sowing of onion, carrot and radish was found for S3 seed with 24 groove plate at 2.0 km/h forward speed and 45o inclination angle of plate. Field evaluation of the machine was done on the basis of these selected parameters s in the laboratory evaluation. The machine was used to plant onion, carrot and radish S3 seeds on 100 cm wide beds. The yields observed were 478.80 q/ha, 252.00 q/ha and 322.60 q/ha for onion, carrot and radish respectively. Field capacity of the machine was found 0.164 ha/h and the fuel consumption during the sowing operation was 4.5 l/h. The cost saving in estimation were 94.5and 49.5 percent for onion and carrot, radish crop.
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    ThesisItemRestricted
    Performance evaluation of tractor operated spading machine
    (Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2016) Dhiman, Mankaran; Dogra, Ritu
    Spading machine is an agricultural machine designed for loosening and breaking up soil. It is hitched to tractor using the standard 3-point linkages and is PTO driven. It does not form a compact layer at the bottom of the tilled soil. It can incorporate large amount of organic matter in soil. The aerobic quality and drainage of the soil are improved. Spading machine penetrates deeper than conventional rotary tillage. It can be conveniently used on slopes. The spading machine worked land has flat surface and clods are regular in size and sowing can be done immediately. It can be operated in wet soil where other implements cannot be used. Spading machines are commercially available in other parts of the world but not in India. Information on tillage performance of spading machine under regional conditions is not available and due to its many advantages over conventional tillage machines, this study was carried out to evaluate its performance and to suggest suitable operational parameters. The spading machine used in the present study has been manufactured by an Italian company ‘Selvatici’. The study involved soil type (2 levels: S1: sandy loam and S2: silty clay loam), forward speed (2 levels: F1: 2.26 km/h and F2: 3.37 km/h), and depth of cut (3 levels: D1: 20 cm, D2: 24 cm and D3: 28 cm) as independent parameters. Their effects were studied on dependent parameters like soil bulk density, PTO torque, soil strength (cone index) and pulverization index (weighted mean clod diameter). Bulk density was found to be significantly higher in sandy loam (S1) than silty clay loam (S2). Bulk density was significantly lower in case of lower forward speed (F1) than higher forward speed (F2). Bulk density increased significantly with increase in depth of cut. PTO torque was significantly lower in sandy loam (S1) than silty clay loam (S2).PTO torque was significantly lower for lower forward speed (F1) than higher forward speed (F2).PTO torque increased significantly with increase in depth of cut. Soil strength was significantly lower insandy loam (S1) than silty clay loam (S2). Soil strength increased significantly with increase in forward speed. Soil strength increased significantly with increase in depth of cut. Pulverisation index (MCD) was significantly lower in sandy loam (S1) than silty clay loam (S2).MCD increased significantly with increase in forward speed in both sandy loam and silty clay loam. MCD increased with increase in depth of cut non significantly in sandy loam and significantly in silty clay loam. The best operational parameters for this machine were found to be lower forward speed (F1: 2.26 km/h) and lowest depth of cut (C1: 20 cm) in sandy loam. The study has generated data on tillage characteristics of spading machine. This will help in further improvement or modification of the machine to suit the regional conditions.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF TRACTOR OPERATED SEEDER FOR WHEAT AS RELAY CROP IN COTTON
    (PUNJAB AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY LUDHIANA, 2015) Manpreet, Singh; Mahal, Jaskarn Singh
    Wheat planting after cotton is usually delayed due to late cotton picking and time needed for seedbed preparation, resulting in low wheat yield. Few farmers sow wheat through broadcasting in standing cotton for timely sowing but on a small scale. This methodology has also limitations of poor germination and low fertilizer use efficiency. Therefore, to study feasibility of relay seeding of wheat in cotton, a prototype of high clearance platform (110 cm from ground) for tractor was developed to facilitate the movement of tractor in standing cotton. Experiments were carried out to evaluate the performance of newly developed Relay Seeders (RS) attached to high clearance four-wheel tractor for seeding wheat in standing cotton planted at row spacing of 67.5 cm and 101.0 cm. Replicated field experiment included two cotton hybrids having different canopy cover (RCH 776 and MRC 7017), two RS for different row spacing and three types of furrow openers (strip till rotor-STR, zero till double disc-ZTDD and zero till tine-ZTT). The RS with double disc opener vis-à-vis conventional till wheat (CTW) were also evaluated on five farmers’ fields. The forward speed of travel of ZTDD openers was 9.3% and 16.6% higher than the speed with STR and ZTT openers respectively. STR openers consumed more fuel (12.36 L ha-1) than ZTT (8.57 L ha-1) and ZTDD openers (9.15 L ha-1). Number of cotton bolls detached from plants due to operation of tractor mounted RS was significantly lower in 101.0 cm cotton row spacing compared with 67.5 cm row spacing. Overall loss of cotton balls due to the movement of tractor and RS was under 2%. Relay planting of wheat using high clearance tractor allowed one additional boll picking leading to increase in seed cotton yield by about 12% compared with conventional crop. Cotton genotypes and relay seeders had no effect on wheat emergence and wheat yield. Relay seeders with STR and ZTDD furrow openers performed better in terms of wheat emergence and grain yield compared to ZTT openers. Wheat sowing using RS was advanced by 31 days, which increased grain yield by 18.8% as compared with CTW. Net returns from CW system with relay seeding of wheat were Indian Rs. 19,282 to 26,332 per ha higher as compared with conventional CW system. Results from on-farm participatory trials revealed that wheat yield under relay seeding on average increased by 6.4% compared to CTW.