Performance Evaluation of Cotton Stalk Harvesting Machine for ex-situ Application

Author: Er. Ch. Sravan Kumar, K.V. Praksah, B. Sanjeeva Reddy, Sushilendra, P Vijay Kumar, Krishanmurthy and Nemichandrappa

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Abstract

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) is an important commercial crop in India. Annually 30.79 million tons of cotton stalk residue is being generated in India. In India, after harvesting cotton lint, cotton stalks are removed by either manual uprooting or cutting them using sickle above the ground level, which is a laborious operation and contributes to increase in crop production. After removing cotton stalks from field, farmers are burning cotton stalks in their fields. Burning of stalks increases CO2, CO, N2O and NOx in the atmosphere which leads to increase in air pollution. In India, crop residues are removed by manual uprooting or cutting the stalks which is high labour intensive and contributes towards high cost of crop production. Instead of burning the stalks in fields, cotton stalks have the potential to be used for ex-situ application such as, raw material for briquettes due to its highlingo cellulosic nature. Ex-situ utilization cotton stalk aids in generating additional income to farmers. In order to utilize the cotton stalk for ex-situ application a cotton stalk harvester was developed and evaluated in the field conditions. The developed cotton stalk harvesting machine was evaluated for 3 forward speeds viz., 2, 3 and 4 km h-1. Operation at 2 km h-1 gave the better result with mean chopped length of 112.8 mm, fineness modulus of 1.706, bulk density of 215.33 kgm-3 machine output was recorded as 1379.63 kgh-1 chopping height was recorded as 88 mm and fuel consumption of 6.8 lh-1.

Keywords

Fineness modulus, Bulk density, machine output, chopping height.

Conclusion

In order to utilize the cotton stalk for ex-situ application a cotton stalk harvester was developedand evaluated in the field conditions. The developed cotton stalk harvesting machine was evaluated for 3 forward speeds viz., 2, 3 and 4 km h-1. Operation at 2 km h-1 gave the better result with mean chopped length of 112.8 mm, fineness modulus of 1.706, bulk density of 215.33 kgm-3 machine output was recorded as 1379.63 kgh-1 chopping height was recorded as 88 mm and fuel consumption of 6.8 lh-1.

References

Ananda Kumar, T. M., Sanjeeva Reddy, Anantachar, M., Veerangouda, M. and Prakash, K. V. (2016). Development of tractor operated machine for maize stalk in-situ shredding. Environment & Ecology, 34(4), 2420-2424. Bhuvaneshwari, S., Hiroshan, Hettiaarachchi and Meegoda Jay, N. (2019). Crop residue burning in India: Policy changes and Potential solutions. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(832), 1-19. Bosoi, E. S., Verniaev, O. V., Smirnov, I. I. and Shakh Sultan, E. G. (1990). Theory, construction and calculations of agricultural machines. Vol.2. Oxonian Press Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi 348-392. Celestine, I. and Matthew Sunday Abolarinand Ibukun Blessing Ikechukwu (2014). Effect of groundnut paste fineness modulus on quantity of oil extractable. Elixir Mech. Engg., 73, 25983-25984. Eltarhuny, M. M. and Tarek Fouda (2012). Utilization of self- propelled harvester and shredder machines for removing some field crop residues. Management, economic engineering in agriculture and rural development, 12(1), 67-70. El-Khatteb, H. A. and EL-Keway, A. A. ( 2012) Development and evaluation of cutting knives to suitcutting wet and dry field residues. J. Soil Sci and Agric. Eng., Mansoura Univ., 3(6), 601-616. Jha, S. K., Amar Singh and Adarsh Kumar ( 2008). Physical characteristics of compressed cotton stalks. Biosystems engineering, 99, 205-210. Khurmi, R. S. and Gupta, J. K. (2006). A Text book of machine design, Eurasia Publishing House Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi, India. 325-381. Kanafojski, C. and Karwawski, T. (1976) Agricultural Machines, Theory and construction vol. 2: crop Harvesting machines. National center for scientific, technical and economic information warsaw, Poland. Mohamed Sayed Omran (2008). Study of the performance of the most widely used shredders for crops residues in Egypt. The 15th Annual conference of the Mirs Society of Ag. Eng. 12-13 Rajesh Goyal, Mahal, J. S. and Manes, G. S. (2016). Performance evaluation of flail unit of forage harvester on sorghum fodder. Agri. Res. J., 53(2), 264- 267. Rajesh Goyal, Mahal, J. S., Manes, G. S. and Dixit, A. (2016 b). Performance evaluation of tractor operated flail type forage harvester having chaffing system on maize fodder. Agri. Res. J., 53(3), 416-420. Rajesh Verma,Vishal Bector and Gursahib Singh (2015). Effect of crop geometry, cutter speed and forward speed on performance characteristics of tractor operated forage harvester-cum- chopper. Agricultural Engineering Today, 39(4), 49-54. Senthilkumar, T., Manian, R. and Kathirvel, K. (2009). Development and performance evaluation of a tractor operated cotton stalk shredder cum In-situ applicator. Agril. Mech. in Asia, Africa, andLatin America, 40(2), 65-67. Świetochowski, A. Lisowski, and ADąbrowska-Salwin, M. (2016). The effect of particles sizes on thedensity and porosity of the material. Proceedings of International Conference on Trends in Agricultural Engineering, 7- 9, Prague Czech Republic, 609-614.

How to cite this article

Ananda Kumar, T. M., Sanjeeva Reddy, Anantachar, M., Veerangouda, M. and Prakash, K. V. (2016). Development of tractor operated machine for maize stalk in-situ shredding. Environment & Ecology, 34(4), 2420-2424. Bhuvaneshwari, S., Hiroshan, Hettiaarachchi and Meegoda Jay, N. (2019). Crop residue burning in India: Policy changes and Potential solutions. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(832), 1-19. Bosoi, E. S., Verniaev, O. V., Smirnov, I. I. and Shakh Sultan, E. G. (1990). Theory, construction and calculations of agricultural machines. Vol.2. Oxonian Press Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi 348-392. Celestine, I. and Matthew Sunday Abolarinand Ibukun Blessing Ikechukwu (2014). Effect of groundnut paste fineness modulus on quantity of oil extractable. Elixir Mech. Engg., 73, 25983-25984. Eltarhuny, M. M. and Tarek Fouda (2012). Utilization of self- propelled harvester and shredder machines for removing some field crop residues. Management, economic engineering in agriculture and rural development, 12(1), 67-70. El-Khatteb, H. A. and EL-Keway, A. A. ( 2012) Development and evaluation of cutting knives to suitcutting wet and dry field residues. J. Soil Sci and Agric. Eng., Mansoura Univ., 3(6), 601-616. Jha, S. K., Amar Singh and Adarsh Kumar ( 2008). Physical characteristics of compressed cotton stalks. Biosystems engineering, 99, 205-210. Khurmi, R. S. and Gupta, J. K. (2006). A Text book of machine design, Eurasia Publishing House Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi, India. 325-381. Kanafojski, C. and Karwawski, T. (1976) Agricultural Machines, Theory and construction vol. 2: crop Harvesting machines. National center for scientific, technical and economic information warsaw, Poland. Mohamed Sayed Omran (2008). Study of the performance of the most widely used shredders for crops residues in Egypt. The 15th Annual conference of the Mirs Society of Ag. Eng. 12-13 Rajesh Goyal, Mahal, J. S. and Manes, G. S. (2016). Performance evaluation of flail unit of forage harvester on sorghum fodder. Agri. Res. J., 53(2), 264- 267. Rajesh Goyal, Mahal, J. S., Manes, G. S. and Dixit, A. (2016 b). Performance evaluation of tractor operated flail type forage harvester having chaffing system on maize fodder. Agri. Res. J., 53(3), 416-420. Rajesh Verma,Vishal Bector and Gursahib Singh (2015). Effect of crop geometry, cutter speed and forward speed on performance characteristics of tractor operated forage harvester-cum- chopper. Agricultural Engineering Today, 39(4), 49-54. Senthilkumar, T., Manian, R. and Kathirvel, K. (2009). Development and performance evaluation of a tractor operated cotton stalk shredder cum In-situ applicator. Agril. Mech. in Asia, Africa, andLatin America, 40(2), 65-67. Świetochowski, A. Lisowski, and ADąbrowska-Salwin, M. (2016). The effect of particles sizes on thedensity and porosity of the material. Proceedings of International Conference on Trends in Agricultural Engineering, 7- 9, Prague Czech Republic, 609-614.