| Author | Paramadevan, N. |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.AE-91-09 |
| Subject(s) | Potato harvesting machinery
|
| Note | A thesis submitted in the partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | Two versions of the tractor mounted oscillating rotary disk potato digger
were designed and fabricated at the Asian Institute of Technology. They were
the prototype and the modified version.
In the prototype version, the solid concave disk was rubber coated to
prevent potato bruising and mounted with a spring at its back to provide
oscillatory motion due to varying soil resistance. Drive power to rotate the disk
was transmitted from the tractor's p.t.o through a series of drive shafts. Fifty-six
mm spring and 40 r/min of disk rotation corresponded to maximum amplitude
in resonance and minimum draft with soil and yielded tubers free from adhering
soil, bruises and cuts.
The dual perforated disk used in the modified version were the spider web
and bar perforations. The bar perforated disk was coated and the spider web
was not coated with rubber. The scraper to deflect soil and potato were also
perforated in order to reduce the volume of soil going to the sieve. A spring
was also mounted at the back of each perforated disk to provide the oscillatory
motion due to varying soil resistance. Rotary power to rotate the disk was
provided by the p.t.o of the tractor. It was found that the rubber coated bar
perforation yielded less seriously cut tubers than the uncoated spider web
perforation. |
| Year | 1991 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources (Former title: Department of Food Agriculture, and BioResources (DFAB)) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Agricultural and Food Engineering (AE) |
| Chairperson(s) | Gupta, C.P.; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Jindal, Vinod Kumar;Bohez, Erik L.J.;Nielsen, J.M.; |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Eng.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1991 |