Performance Evaluation of Liquorice Harvester with Novel Oscillating Shovel-Rod Components Using the Discrete Element Method
Liquorice harvesting is the key process in the development of the liquorice industry. For harvesting liquorice with about 400 mm growth depth, a lightweight harvester with novel oscillating shovel-rod components was developed. Draft force, total torque, specific energy consumption, separation propor...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-11-01
|
| Series: | Agriculture |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/12/12/2015 |
| _version_ | 1797461943532912640 |
|---|---|
| author | Lipengcheng Wan Yonglei Li Chao Zhang Xiang Ma Jiannong Song Xiangqian Dong Jicheng Wang |
| author_facet | Lipengcheng Wan Yonglei Li Chao Zhang Xiang Ma Jiannong Song Xiangqian Dong Jicheng Wang |
| author_sort | Lipengcheng Wan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Liquorice harvesting is the key process in the development of the liquorice industry. For harvesting liquorice with about 400 mm growth depth, a lightweight harvester with novel oscillating shovel-rod components was developed. Draft force, total torque, specific energy consumption, separation proportion, and soil structure maintenance were used to evaluate harvester performance under varied working conditions, and throw intensity and total torque were analyzed. A DEM model was developed to simulate the excavation and separation of soil. Three sets of single-factor simulation tests and one set of field tests were conducted. The results indicated that: Each 1 mm increase in amplitude decreased draft force by 463.35 N and increased total torque and specific energy consumption by 35.03 Nm and 4.3 kJ/m<sup>3</sup>, respectively. Each 1 Hz increase in vibration frequency increased specific energy consumption by 3.12 kJ/m<sup>3</sup>, while draft force and total torque decreased by 375.75 N and 28.44 Nm, respectively. Each 0.1 m/s increase in forwarding speed increased the draft force, total torque and specific energy consumption by 1302.72 N, 13.26 Nm and 3.82 kJ/m<sup>3</sup>, respectively. The main separation areas of the shovel-rod were front areas, where the soil separation proportion is greater than 60%, and the soil was completely separated at the end areas. The soils after harvesting had a relatively minimal disturbance in all layers, with soil structure maintenance greater than 0.61, and soil structure was well maintained. The liquorice plants were separated from the soil after passing smoothly through the oscillating shovel-rod components, during which the soil at different layers fell in sequence. This study revealed the interactive relationship between working components and soil, specifically the potential to maintain soil structure after harvesting. This new finding will assist in developing harvest techniques for rhizome crops with deep growth depth. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T17:27:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e92f241b69744e8baf89d6748b6f2d49 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0472 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T17:27:27Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agriculture |
| spelling | doaj.art-e92f241b69744e8baf89d6748b6f2d492023-11-24T12:39:51ZengMDPI AGAgriculture2077-04722022-11-011212201510.3390/agriculture12122015Performance Evaluation of Liquorice Harvester with Novel Oscillating Shovel-Rod Components Using the Discrete Element MethodLipengcheng Wan0Yonglei Li1Chao Zhang2Xiang Ma3Jiannong Song4Xiangqian Dong5Jicheng Wang6College of Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, ChinaCollege of Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, ChinaCollege of Agricultural Equipment Engineering, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, ChinaCollege of Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, ChinaCollege of Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, ChinaCollege of Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, ChinaCollege of Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, ChinaLiquorice harvesting is the key process in the development of the liquorice industry. For harvesting liquorice with about 400 mm growth depth, a lightweight harvester with novel oscillating shovel-rod components was developed. Draft force, total torque, specific energy consumption, separation proportion, and soil structure maintenance were used to evaluate harvester performance under varied working conditions, and throw intensity and total torque were analyzed. A DEM model was developed to simulate the excavation and separation of soil. Three sets of single-factor simulation tests and one set of field tests were conducted. The results indicated that: Each 1 mm increase in amplitude decreased draft force by 463.35 N and increased total torque and specific energy consumption by 35.03 Nm and 4.3 kJ/m<sup>3</sup>, respectively. Each 1 Hz increase in vibration frequency increased specific energy consumption by 3.12 kJ/m<sup>3</sup>, while draft force and total torque decreased by 375.75 N and 28.44 Nm, respectively. Each 0.1 m/s increase in forwarding speed increased the draft force, total torque and specific energy consumption by 1302.72 N, 13.26 Nm and 3.82 kJ/m<sup>3</sup>, respectively. The main separation areas of the shovel-rod were front areas, where the soil separation proportion is greater than 60%, and the soil was completely separated at the end areas. The soils after harvesting had a relatively minimal disturbance in all layers, with soil structure maintenance greater than 0.61, and soil structure was well maintained. The liquorice plants were separated from the soil after passing smoothly through the oscillating shovel-rod components, during which the soil at different layers fell in sequence. This study revealed the interactive relationship between working components and soil, specifically the potential to maintain soil structure after harvesting. This new finding will assist in developing harvest techniques for rhizome crops with deep growth depth.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/12/12/2015liquoriceharvestingdiscrete element methodshovel-rodsoil structure maintenance |
| spellingShingle | Lipengcheng Wan Yonglei Li Chao Zhang Xiang Ma Jiannong Song Xiangqian Dong Jicheng Wang Performance Evaluation of Liquorice Harvester with Novel Oscillating Shovel-Rod Components Using the Discrete Element Method Agriculture liquorice harvesting discrete element method shovel-rod soil structure maintenance |
| title | Performance Evaluation of Liquorice Harvester with Novel Oscillating Shovel-Rod Components Using the Discrete Element Method |
| title_full | Performance Evaluation of Liquorice Harvester with Novel Oscillating Shovel-Rod Components Using the Discrete Element Method |
| title_fullStr | Performance Evaluation of Liquorice Harvester with Novel Oscillating Shovel-Rod Components Using the Discrete Element Method |
| title_full_unstemmed | Performance Evaluation of Liquorice Harvester with Novel Oscillating Shovel-Rod Components Using the Discrete Element Method |
| title_short | Performance Evaluation of Liquorice Harvester with Novel Oscillating Shovel-Rod Components Using the Discrete Element Method |
| title_sort | performance evaluation of liquorice harvester with novel oscillating shovel rod components using the discrete element method |
| topic | liquorice harvesting discrete element method shovel-rod soil structure maintenance |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/12/12/2015 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lipengchengwan performanceevaluationofliquoriceharvesterwithnoveloscillatingshovelrodcomponentsusingthediscreteelementmethod AT yongleili performanceevaluationofliquoriceharvesterwithnoveloscillatingshovelrodcomponentsusingthediscreteelementmethod AT chaozhang performanceevaluationofliquoriceharvesterwithnoveloscillatingshovelrodcomponentsusingthediscreteelementmethod AT xiangma performanceevaluationofliquoriceharvesterwithnoveloscillatingshovelrodcomponentsusingthediscreteelementmethod AT jiannongsong performanceevaluationofliquoriceharvesterwithnoveloscillatingshovelrodcomponentsusingthediscreteelementmethod AT xiangqiandong performanceevaluationofliquoriceharvesterwithnoveloscillatingshovelrodcomponentsusingthediscreteelementmethod AT jichengwang performanceevaluationofliquoriceharvesterwithnoveloscillatingshovelrodcomponentsusingthediscreteelementmethod |