Research in Agricultural Engineering, 2022 (vol. 68), issue 1
Retroreflection of traffic signing for the safe operation of agricultural machineryOriginal Paper
Lukáš Jan Hrabánek, Miroslav Růžička
Res. Agr. Eng., 2022, 68(1):1-8 | DOI: 10.17221/49/2021-RAE 
Recent studies have discussed the increasing number of accidents caused by agricultural machinery and tractors, specifically on higher-class roads. High-quality traffic signage with the required retroreflection can prevent these serious accidents, especially under reduced visibility conditions. The retroreflective materials are divided into three classes: RA1, RA2 and RA3 according to their optical performance. This distribution apparently turned out to be insufficient, as significantly different optical materials may be assigned to the same class. This research focused on the detailed optical resolution of retroreflecting sheeting with the aim to...
Non-linear control model for use in greenhouse climate control systemsOriginal Paper
Jalal Javadi Moghaddam, Ghasem Zarei, Davood Momeni, Hamideh Faridi
Res. Agr. Eng., 2022, 68(1):9-17 | DOI: 10.17221/37/2021-RAE
In this study, a non-linear control system was designed and proposed to control the greenhouse climate conditions. This control system directly uses the information of sensors, installed inside and outside the greenhouse. To design this proposed control system, the principles of a non-linear control system and the concepts of equilibrium points and zero dynamics of system theories were used. To show the capability and applicability of the proposed control system, it was compared with an integral sliding mode controller. A greenhouse with similar climatic conditions was used to simulate the performance of the integral sliding mode controller. In this...
A study on the mathematical model for predicting the peel removal efficiency of a cassava peelerOriginal Paper
Charles Olawale Ogunnigbo, Dare Aderibigbe Adetan, Tunde Afolabi Morakinyo
Res. Agr. Eng., 2022, 68(1):18-26 | DOI: 10.17221/32/2021-RAE
A mathematical model for predicting the peeling efficiency of a cassava peeler was developed using a dimensional analysis based on Buckingham' s pi theorem. The model was validated using data from experimental studies which revealed a maximum coefficient of determination of R2 = 0.8366 between the measured and predicted values. The developed model proved appropriate in estimating the peel removal efficiency for a cassava peeler by up to 83.66%. There was no significance difference between the experimental and predicted values at a 0.05 significance level.
Pyrolysis of maize cob at different temperatures for biochar production: Proximate, ultimate and spectroscopic characterisationOriginal Paper
Timothy Adekanye, Oluwasogo Dada, Jegede Kolapo
Res. Agr. Eng., 2022, 68(1):27-34 | DOI: 10.17221/106/2020-RAE
Adopting the concept of the waste to wealth approach, agricultural waste from maize cob could be transformed into a renewable form of energy through thermo-chemical methods of treating the biomass. This method can be utilised for biochar production. The utilisation of biochar has several significant applications. These applications include the enhancement of the soil through amendment, stimulation of crop production by a variety nutrient inputs in the soil, etc. In this research work, a biochar was obtained through a slow pyrolysis process of maize cob waste. This experiment was carried out using a small-scale muffle furnace and subjecting the feedstock...
Theoretical justification of the operating modes of periodic activity of vegetable oil purificationOriginal Paper
Petr Igorevich Osadchuk, Dmitry Panasovich Domuschi, Yuriy Ivanovich Enakiev, Blagoj Elenov
Res. Agr. Eng., 2022, 68(1):35-40 | DOI: 10.17221/107/2020-RAE
A mathematical model has been developed that describes the process of purification of vegetable oils using physical methods. The obtained mathematical model determines the mode of operation of the main parameters of the machine for the purification of vegetable oils, depending on the dispersed composition of the impurities and the type of vegetable oils. Based on the developed mathematical model, the recommended rotor speed and the time to remove the impurities in a centrifuge for the maximum removal of the suspended particles from different types of vegetable oils can be calculated. The response surfaces show the combined effect of the particle density...
Drawbar performance of a power tiller on a sandy loam soil of the Nadia district of West BengalOriginal Paper
Sujit Hensh, Partha Sarathi Chattopadhyay, Khokan Das
Res. Agr. Eng., 2022, 68(1):41-46 | DOI: 10.17221/16/2021-RAE
A 9.69 kW power tiller's drawbar performance was tested by using a drawbar loading vehicle consisting of a power tiller with a mould board (MB) plough. A spring-loaded dynamometer was attached between the tested power tiller and the loading vehicle to measure the drawbar pull. The drawbar pull was changed from 0.905 kN to 2.232 kN by varying the operating depth of the MB plough. Empirical equations were developed to correlate the drawbar pull to the wheel slip, drawbar power, fuel consumption, and drawbar specific fuel consumption (DBSFC), and one was developed to correlate the drawbar power to the wheel slip. The wheel slip increased exponentially...