PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF A LOCAL MACHINE FOR CUTTING AND CHOPPING COTTON STALKS

Abstract

The aim of this study was to design, manufacture and evaluate the performance of a local machine for cutting and chopping cotton stalks. It consists of main frame, cutting and feeding unit, chopping unit and transmission system to transmit the rotating motion from power take off (pto) of tractor to the movable machine components. Field experiments were carried out under four different stalks moisture contents wet base (w.b.) of about ٣٧.٨٣, ٣٣.٥٤, ٢٨.٨٧ and ٢٠.١٧%; four different clearances between cutting drums of ١, ٢, ٣ and ٤ cm; four different peripheral shredder speeds of about ٤٧.١, ٥٤.٩٥, ٦٢.٨ and ٧٠.٦٥ m/sec., and different numbers of plan blades on shredder of ٢, ٤, ٦ and ٨ blades. All experiments were carried out at four different kinematic parameters of about ٧.٨٣, ١٠.٤٦, ١٣.٤٨ and ١٧.٢١ between cutting rotating speed of ١٠٠٠ rpm and different forward speeds. Machine performance was evaluated in terms of field capacity, cutting and shredding efficiency, energy requirements and cost. The experimental results revealed that ٢٨.٨٧%, ٢ cm, ٦٢.٨ m/sec., ٦ blades and ١٠.٤٦ of stalks moisture content, cutting drums clearance, chopper peripheral speed, number of plan blades on shredder and kinematic parameter, respectively recorded minimum criterion cost of ١٣٥.٣٥ LE.