Research in Agricultural Engineering, 2018 (vol. 64), issue 3

Finite element simulation of temperature variation in grain metal siloOriginal Paper

Mohammed Gana Yisa, Adeshina Fadeyibi, O.I.O. Adisa, Kehinde Peter Alabi

Res. Agr. Eng., 2018, 64(3):107-114 | DOI: 10.17221/101/2016-RAE  

This research was conducted to study temperature variation in grain metal silo using Finite Element Method (FEM). A mathematical model was developed, based on conductive heat transfer expressed in Poisson and Laplace Differential models, by discretising the actual temperature variation at 8 hours storage interval for 153 days (May to September). The temperature variations were measured from specified radii (0, 3.25 m and 8.25 m) and at depth of 1.2 m from the base of the grain silo. The results of the simulation were compared with the ambient and measured values, and this agreed with each other. The pattern of temperature at the...

Method of justification of the grain cleaning assembly performanceOriginal Paper

Vladimir Shepelev, Sergey Shepelev, Zlata Almetova

Res. Agr. Eng., 2018, 64(3):115-120 | DOI: 10.17221/14/2017-RAE  

The performance potential of the existing grain cleaning assemblies meant for nominal and stable gross grain flow in view of the agrotechnical harvest time is not realized to the full extent. It is preconditioned by the instability of the technical and technological parameters of the harvesting processes. It results in a disproportion between the harvesting and the grain cleaning process, which is manifested in accumulation of bulks of grains within open areas in uncontrolled conditions or preconditions over-estimation of the rated performance of the grain cleaning assemblies. Their required performance can be decreased and the alignment of functioning...

Assessment of gross calorific value of crop and bio-energy residuesOriginal Paper

János Jóvér, Károly Antal, József Zsembeli, Lajos Blaskó, János Tamás

Res. Agr. Eng., 2018, 64(3):121-127 | DOI: 10.17221/13/2017-RAE  

This study assessed the gross calorific values (GCV) of crop and bio-energy residues. In addition, it assessed the calorific values of sweet sorghum to clarify its potential as energy crop in the region. Furthermore, it statistically analysed the ash remaining after burning three bio-energy residues, bagasse, oil cakes and fermented sludge of biogas production, to identify their potential for agricultural use. Finally, the study calculated alkali content based on nutrient content and GCVs. Significant differences were found among the GCVs of the investigated materials. Among the crop residues, the least significant difference (LSD) (P ≤...

Enhancement anaerobic digestion and methane production from kitchen waste by thermal and thermo-chemical pretreatments in batch leach bed reactor with down flowOriginal Paper

Seyed Abbas Radmard, Hossein Haji Agha Alizadeh, Rahman Seifi

Res. Agr. Eng., 2018, 64(3):128-135 | DOI: 10.17221/16/2017-RAE  

The effects of thermal (autoclave and microwave irradiation (MW)) and thermo-chemical (autoclave and microwave irradiation - assisted NaOH 5N) pretreatments on the chemical oxygen demand (COD) solubilisation, biogas and methane production of anaerobic digestion kitchen waste (KW) were investigated in this study. The modified Gompertz equation was fitted to accurately assess and compare the biogas and methane production from KW under the different pretreatment conditions and to attain representative simulations and predictions. In present study, COD solubilisation was demonstrated as an effective effect of pretreatment. Thermo-chemical pretreatments...

Effects of polymer cyclohexane application on lentil pod shatter in semi-arid region of TurkeyOriginal Paper

Hasan Aslan, Mahmut Gayberi, Abdullah Kahraman

Res. Agr. Eng., 2018, 64(3):136-142 | DOI: 10.17221/78/2017-RAE  

Pod shattering in lentil which is vital plant of dry lands is a crucial feature for high yield. Selection of lentil variety is very important in order to reduce pod shatter. Some of lentil varieties are very productive; however, shattering loss decreases profitable yields. In this study, reduction of pod shatter in lentil varieties was investigated with application of polymer cyclohexane compounds. An experiment was conducted with split-split-plot experiment design with two lentil varieties ('Firat-87' and 'Cagil'), two application time (podset and 15 days before harvest (DBH)) and three application doses (0, 0.5, 2 l.

Theoretical studies of interaction of the drum cleaner with the sugar beet headOriginal Paper

Volodymyr Bulgakov, Semjons Ivanovs, Valerii Adamchuk, Stanislav Smolinskyi

Res. Agr. Eng., 2018, 64(3):143-150 | DOI: 10.17221/104/2017-RAE  

Basic provisions have been worked out for a theory of interaction of the drum cleaner from the remaining tops with the sugar beet heads after the basic mass has been cut off without extracting the roots from the soil, wherein the head of the root stays motionless in the soil at a certain height of protrusion. The drum cleaner, working forward and simultaneously rotating, starts a contact with the protruding head of the rootcrop and, moving around it, brushes away efficiently the remaining tops. On the basis of the obtained differential equations of the movement of the drum there are proposed mathematical dependencies substantiating the optimal parameters...

Technology and mechanization of cultivation of Jerusalem artichoke healthierOriginal Paper

Viktor I. Starovoitov, Oksana A. Starovoitova, Nikolay Aldoshin, Aleksandra A. Manokhina

Res. Agr. Eng., 2018, 64(3):151-156 | DOI: 10.17221/108/2017-RAE  

erusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosum L.) is a promising bioenergy multi-purpose crop. The Jerusalem artichoke is a valuable culture that is a source of inulin, fructose and pectin. Green mass of the Jerusalem artichoke has a high content of complex carbohydrate (fructose, glucose, sucrose, etc.) in the dry weight of the plant contain up to 17% protein with a balanced amino acid composition. Biotechnological methods are firmly established in plant growing practice and are widely used for rapid multiplication and obtaining healthy planting material of many economically important crops. The technology of micro clonal propagation "in vitro"...

Effect of growing media on mat type seedling raised for mechanical rice transplantingOriginal Paper

Anwar M. Hossen, Mosharraf M. Hossain, Enamul M. Haque, Richard W. Bell

Res. Agr. Eng., 2018, 64(3):157-167 | DOI: 10.17221/79/2016-RAE  

Mechanical transplanted seedling must meet the requirements of standard seedling block with uniform distribution of seedlings and inter-twisting roots for rolling. This study was conducted to identify the effect of growing media on mat type seedling raised for mechanical transplanting at Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), Gazipur during the period of 2012-2014 covering two dry and cold seasons (Boro) and one wet season (Aman). Seedling were raised on plastic tray using sandy loam and clay loam soil mixed with decomposed cow-dung, mustard cake, rice straw organic fertilizer, rice bran, poultry litter and vermicompost at the rate of 0.0, 10,...