No abstract

The aim of the present study is to develop a rationalized power consumption carrot harvesting machine to be suitable for the Egyptian agricultural conditions. The developing machine components are namely: pulling unit, transmission system and frame. The present study consider that:-(1) Some physical and mechanical properties of foliage and root (dimensions, mass, pulling force, and tension force) and some soil properties. (2) Manufacturing the proposed harvester by relating dimensions design to the theoretical considerations. (3) Evaluating the mechanical of the developed harvester as affected by different design parameters. The machine forward speed 0.3 m/s. It was evaluated under operating parameters: pulling inclination angle, pulling belt speed and the height of branch catch. Meanwhile, the machine performance can be determined from crop quality, lifting efficiency and root damage. The obtained results concluded that the optimum parameters of the carrot harvesting machine were belt speed 0.5, belt inclination angle 45, Height of branch catch 5 cm can be used to obtain the best root quality, root damage and lifting efficiency were 99.5, 0.5 and 86.46 % respectively.

Sesame is an important crop for the production of oil especially in newly reclaimed lands of Egypt. A machine for pelleting the small and light sesame seeds was designed and constructed in a laboratory scale to change the shape and size of sesame seeds enlarging the seed by a pellet which more heavier, size and rounder to facilitate sowing sesame seeds by planters. Some of the most important operational parameters were investigated, whereas, rotating speed of the pelleting pan affected the physical pellet properties. Rotating speed of 30 rpm showed the greatest pellet weight, sphericity percentage and true density. Out of three different quantities (100, 250 and 500g) of seeds per run during pelleting process, 250 g showed maximum pellet axial dimensions, pellet volume and weight. Ratio between pelleting material added to the pan during run and seed quantity was considered, whereas, ratios of 5:1, 10:1 and 20:1 were investigated. Maximum pellet axial dimensions and maximum pellet sphericity percentage were obtained when a ratio of 20:1 was applied. The lowest adhesive material concentration (5 %) showed a distinguished pellet size, volume and weight when compared to higher concentration. On the other hand, small quantity of 50 mm 3 adhesive solution per 500 g pelleting material gave maximum pellet volume and weight, however, the maximum quantity of (150 mm 3 / 500 g pelleting material) gave the greatest sphericity percentage of 76.33%. Ratio of pelleting material components (pentonite / lime) showed that a ratio of 75% Pentonite: 25% lime gave maximum pellet dimensions, volume and weight, while a ratio of 0% Pentonite: 100% lime showed maximum sphericity percentage. Maximum contact stress and cutting strength decreased with increasing the geometric diameter of the pelleted seeds for all investigated parameters. Both germination and vigor percentages of pelleted seeds were decreased when compared with untreated seeds. Meanwhile, germination rate of pelleted seeds increased when compared with untreated seeds. Therefore, germination and vigor of high quality sesame seeds did not enhanced by pelleting process, while rate of germination remarkably increased when seeds were pelleted perior planting. Pellet dimensions, volume and sphericity are the major variables had a remarkable relation with germination and vigor percentages.

No abstract

The objectives of this study were to design and evaluation performance of mechanism for green onion crop handling, as well as, improving the crop quality based on the suggested handling system. However, the suggested handling system consists of feeding unit, trimming unit which based on rotary cutting mechanism, antioxidant unit and tying unit. The following technical parameters had been considered to evaluate the suggesting mechanism: feeding belt speed, feeding rate, cutting disc speed, tying position of onion bundle relative to the cutting disc, angle of cutting disc and discharge rate of ascorbic acid. However, the following technical indicators had been estimated such as machine productivity, trimming efficiency, cutting offset angle of plants, the quality of the final product and the costs of green onion produced by mechanism system. Results indicated that the machine productivity was found to be 316.2 kg/h, handling system efficiency was 75.89 %, the trimming efficiency was 89.15 %, cutting offset angle of plants was 22º, at 12.5 cm/s feeding-belt speed and when 5.6 kg/min feeding rate. With operated at 5.11 m/s cutting disc speed, the optimum tying position during trimming process is 7.5 cm, the wilting coefficient was (0.09 mm/day) at discharge rate of 5 l/h and handling machine reduced the cost of green onion trimming to 1: 2.67 as compared with manual method.