Development and evaluation of topping machine for sugar beet

Document Type : Original Article

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Department of Agricultural Machinery and Power Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.

Abstract

The aim of this investigation is to develop and evaluate a sugar beet topping machine suitable for smallholding farms, easy to use and high efficiency. The research was carried out in Al-Maseen Village, Al-Dilengat center, Al-Behera Governorate, Egypt during 2022-2023 season. The performance of the developed topping machine was evaluated at three different levels of forward speed (1.0, 1.2 and 1.5 Km/h), three different levels of vertical and horizontal distance between knife and sensor, (1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 cm) and (4, 5 and 6 cm) respectively and two types of knives (sharpened from one edge and two edges). Evaluation was based on the following parameters: Topping efficiency, correct topped beets, over topped beets, under topped beets, damage beets, non-topped beets, Effective field capacity and field efficiency. The result indicated that, maximum of topping efficiency was 96 % at forward speed 1.0 km/ h, 2.5cm and 6 cm vertical and horizontal distance respectively and maximum of correct topped beet was 95.65 % at forward speed 1.2 km/ h, 2.0 cm and 5 cm vertical and horizontal distance respectively. On the other hand, minimum of over topped beet and non-topped beet was 0.00, 4.00 % respectively at forward speed 1.0 km/h and under topped beet was 0.0 % at forward speed 1.5 km /h. Also, the maximum field capacity of machine was 0.211 fed/h at forward speed 1.5 km/h and field efficiency was 98.43 % at forward speed 1.0 km/h. The results of the study recommended operate the machine at forward speed 1.2km/h with vertical distance 2.0 cm and horizontal distance 5 cm by using two side knife, the value of the correct topped beet was 95.65 %.

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