Design and Parameter Optimization of a Vertical Rotary Fixed-Angle Straw Cleaning Device

Abstract

This study addresses the challenges encountered in mechanized agricultural fields, particularly the soil disruption associated with conventional horizontal rotary straw cleaning equipment. To mitigate the inefficiency of straw cleaning observed in the current vertical rotary apparatus, this study introduces a vertical rotary fixed-angle straw cleaning device. The essential conditions for establishing the cutter tooth angle were identified through theoretical analysis. Analyzing the kinematics of the cutter tooth to direct the movement of the straw, we determined that the deflection angle of the cutter tooth group (DA) is a critical parameter for enhancing the effectiveness of straw cleaning. A multiphase interaction model encompassing soil, straw, and machinery components was developed utilizing a coupled simulation approach with RecurDyn and EDEM software. The Box–Behnken response surface methodology was employed to systematically investigate the interaction effects of three critical parameters on both the straw cleaning rate and the soil disturbance rate: operation speed (OS), rotation speed of the straw cleaning rotary table (RS), and the DA. For optimization experiments where the OS is set to 2.4 m/s, RS is 400 r/min, and DA is 48°, the straw cleaning rate reaches 94.1% and the soil disturbance rate is 27.2%. This device can efficiently create a localized clean seeding belt for no-till planters without significantly damaging the soil structure, providing an innovative solution for the development of low-disturbance, high-efficiency conservation tillage equipment.