Research in Agricultural Engineering, 2012 (vol. 58), issue 3

Degradation medium of agrocomplex - adhesive bonded joints interaction

M. Müller, P. Valášek

Res. Agr. Eng., 2012, 58(3):83-91 | DOI: 10.17221/27/2011-RAE  

Research of degradation medium occurring in agrocomplex at the current interaction with bonded joints strength and lifetime is desired owing to the possibilities of bonding applications in this dynamically developing field. The bonding technology is used in construction of machines, lines and devices of agriculture, forestry and food industry. Among the perspectives of bonding technologies the adhesive bonding can be considered thanks to its predominant pluses. At the bonding technology or more precisely adhesive bonding technology application the limits must be characterized, which occur in the process of application in the concrete medium. On the...

Effect of sedimentation on the final hardness of polymeric particle composites

P. Valášek, M. Müller, A. Proshlyakov

Res. Agr. Eng., 2012, 58(3):92-98 | DOI: 10.17221/5/2011-RAE  

In present days composite materials are the indispensable part of many branches. They make a foray into the branch of agricultural production, where they are getting to intensive development of systems utilized e.g. at soil processing. Composites can be defined as materials which synergically combine properties of matrix and filler. One of possibilities of polymeric particle composites preparation is the application of suitable filler together with some types of epoxy resins. This application extends the usable properties of resins. For the exact definition of these materials use it is necessary to map their behaviour. In the paper the problems are...

Study and determination of energy consumption to produce conventional rice of the Guilan province

A. Alipour, H. Veisi, F. Darijani, B. Mirbagheri, A.G. Behbahani

Res. Agr. Eng., 2012, 58(3):99-106 | DOI: 10.17221/8/2011-RAE  

The aim of this study was to determine the energy efficiency indices in the agro-ecosystems of the Guilan province in 2010. One hundred and twenty-seven farmers were interviewed using a particularly designed questionnaire. The inputs in the calculation of energy use in agro-ecosystems embraced labour, machinery, electricity, diesel oil, fertilizers, seeds, while rice and straw yield were included in the output. The results depicted that total input and output energy into these agro-ecosystems were about 47,604 and 90,680.04 MJ/ha, respectively. The highest energy input was related to water (38.84%), electricity (27.87%) and nitrogen fertilizer (17.5%)....

Bruise susceptibilities of kiwifruit as affected by impact and fruit properties

E. Ahmadi

Res. Agr. Eng., 2012, 58(3):107-113 | DOI: 10.17221/57/2011-RAE  

Kiwifruit bruise damage is a common postharvest disorder that substantially reduces fruit quality and marketability. Fruit bruise cause tissue softening and make them more susceptible to undesired agents such as diseases-inducing agents. Factors that affect kiwifruit bruise susceptibility such as impact properties and fruit properties were investigated. Two bruise prediction models were constructed for the damage susceptibility of kiwifruit (measured by absorbed energy) using multiple linear regression analyses. Kiwifruits were subjected to dynamic loading by means of a pendulum at three levels of impact. Significant effects of acoustic stiffness,...

The coefficient of friction of individual potatoes and various handling materials - Short communication

C.F.H. Bishop, A.F.J. Gash, C. Heslim, S. Hanney

Res. Agr. Eng., 2012, 58(3):114-117 | DOI: 10.17221/15/2011-RAE  

The dynamic coefficient of friction of single potatoes was determined on mild steel, rubber and plastic, for tubers in each of four conditions: dry and dirty, wet and dirty, clean and wet and clean and dry. Steel had the lowest overall mean coefficient of friction. The highest value was recorded for plastic, but this material also had the largest coefficient of variation. Overall, rubber was considered to be the most suitable all-condition material for tubers in a range of conditions.