Losses in the mechanized harvest of sugarcane as a function of working speed and rotation of the primary extractor

Abstract

Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) stands out as one of the main crops of Brazilian agribusiness. Currently, the crop harvesting process is predominantly mechanized. The objective was to evaluate the losses and impurities in the mechanized harvest of sugarcane as a function of working speed and rotation of the primary extractor. The experiment was conducted in a sugarcane harvested without previous burning, using the variety CTC 15 in its first cutting stage, classified as upright. The row spacing was 1.5 m and the average crop yield was 92.5 Mg ha -1 . A single-row harvester was used, operating at three working speeds, being V1 (3.0 km h -1 ), V2 (5.0 km h -1 ) and V3 (7.0 km h -1 ). Two rotations of the primary extractor were used, R1 (700 rpm) and R2 (1000 rpm). In the experiment, the loss of raw material and the vegetable impurities were evaluated shortly after the harvester went through the experimental area. With the highest rotation of the primary extractor, there were average levels of vegetable impurities (4 to 6%), and with the lowest rotation, there were high levels (> 7%). Levels for plant losses were low (< 2.5%) for all evaluated treatments.Additional keywords: evaluation; mechanization; performance; quality. ResumoA cana-de-açúcar (Saccharum spp.) destaca-se como uma das principais culturas do agronegócio brasileiro. Atualmente, o processo de colheita da cultura é, predominantemente, realizado de forma mecanizada. Objetivouse avaliar as perdas e as impurezas vegetais na colheita mecanizada de cana-de-açúcar em função da velocidade de trabalho e da rotação do extrator primário. O experimento foi conduzido em um canavial colhido sem queima prévia, sendo utilizada a variedade CTC 15, em seu primeiro estágio de corte e com porte classificado como ereto. O espaçamento entre fileiras foi de 1,5 m, e a produtividade média da cultura, de 92,5 Mg ha -1 . A colhedora utilizada foi de uma linha, operando em três velocidades de trabalho, sendo V1 (3,0 km h -1 ), V2 (5,0 km h -1 ) e V3 (7,0 km h -1 ). Foram utilizadas duas rotações do extrator primário, sendo a R1 de 700 rpm e a R2 de 1.000 rpm. No experimento, foram avaliadas a perda de matéria-prima e as impurezas vegetais logo após a passagem da colhedora na área experimental. As impurezas vegetais com a maior rotação do extrator primário apresentaram níveis médios (4 a 6%), e a menor rotação do extrator primário, níveis altos (> 7%). Os níveis para perdas vegetais foram baixos (< 2,5%) para todos os tratamentos avaliados.Palavras-chave adicionais: avaliação; desempenho; mecanização; qualidade.

Monitoring performance indicators of mechanized agricultural operations through a systemic method

“…Since OPC, VI, and TVL are in statistical control but are not capable, it is the responsibility of the manager and team to investigate the influence exerted over these indicators and to act in a way to improve them to meet the specifications, making the process predictable. For example, a better balance between harvester and sugarcane yield could improve the performance of OPC (Ramos et al, 2016) or an increment in the rotation of the primary extractor yield better VI performance (Alcantara et al, 2017;Martins et al, 2017), or an increment in the speed of operation that improves the OPC but worsens TVL (Martins et al, 2017;Santos et al, 2014). Regardless of the action taken, it is important that all six indicators are monitored so that the optimum operation is achieved and not the optimum of one indicator only.…”

Influence of Operational Conditions of Mechanized Harvesting on Sugarcane Losses and Impurities

“…In addition to the harvest displacement speed, other components should be regulated. As described by Martins et al (2017), the primary extractor rotation influences the amount of vegetable impurities.…”