Proximate Design of Onion Harvester Separating Surface

Abstract

High variability of soil and climatic conditions in Russia requires to develop and use appropriate technologies and technical means to harvest root crops. The authors have determined input parameters that depend on physical and mathematical characteristics of harvested crops, soil type and condition and have a critical impact on developing crop harvesters and harvesting technologies. (Research purpose) The research aims at determining the separation intensity of onion-­soil heap on the rod elevator, as well as onion heap supply from the surface of the rod elevator trails to the secondary separation mechanisms – all relating to onion harvesting machines. (Materials and methods) The size and mass parameters of the studied material are limitative for designing basic parameters of the working elements of technical equipment. The issue of increasing quality indicators of onion picker separators is considered on condition that basic input parameters should be precisely defined as they determine technological process of onion cleaning from soil and plant impurities. The authors have determined the amount of onion heap supply to the onion harvester lifting share in accordance with onion dimensional and mass characteristics. (Results and discussion) The onion fraction in the total lifted heap has been determined as well as the weight of onion heap and impurities on the rod elevator trails and onion heap supply from the surface of the rod elevator trails to the secondary separation mechanisms. The authors have also specified separation intensity as well as interdependencies describing a possibility of loss prevention in onion heap fractional composition passing through the rod elevator slots. The influence of design and technical parameters of the rod elevator as well as the influence of fine soil fraction mass on the onion heap separation intensity of the rod elevator have been revealed as well. (Conclusions) The formula has been obtained to determine onion heap supply from the rod elevator surface to the secondary separation mechanisms depending on design and technical parameters of the rod elevator as well as the onion heap weight.