The results of experimental studies of potato harvesters with a new digging-separating working body

Abstract

Purpose. Improving the quality of potato harvesting by potato harvesters. Methods. Experimental laboratory and field studies of potato harvester and potato harvester-loader with developed digging-separating working body, including heap distributor, performed according to the method of current standards for testing potato harvesters. The results. During the experimental laboratory and field studies, the quality indicators of tuber assembly and energy characteristics of machines with a new working body were determined. It is established that the digging-separating working body with the heap distributor established on cars provides reduction of losses and increase of purity of collecting of tubers. Conclusions. It was found that the potato digger developed by the digging-separating working body, including the heap distributor, when harvesting potatoes with a yield of 30.6 t / ha, which was planted by ridge method with rows of 0.7 m, reduces the loss of tubers by 3.1 times (losses 0.8% with a distributor and 2.5% - without a distributor), while the damage to the tubers was 4.8%, which meets the agronomic requirements. It is established that the digger-loader with the developed diggingseparating working body, including the heap distributor, provides completeness of collecting of tubers - to 99,4%, thus purity of tubers in a container makes - 97,4% (without the distributor - 85,8%) at admissible damage of tubers of 4,6%. Fuel consumption during potato harvest at a speed of 3.2-4.7 km / h was in the range of 13.7-17.1 kg / ha.