Self-propelled Machine For Harvesting Chick- pea In Small Field

Abstract

Mechanized harvesting is a matter of great economic interest to farmers. Legumes are the second most important family of agricultural products for food security after grains, but their manual harvesting tends to be labor intensive. In this study, after preliminary studies, the authors designed and fabricated a stripper header for harvesting chickpeas. After examining conveyors of different types and designs and the physical arrangement of the components, it was decided to use a pneumatic conveyor in the machine. Considering the importance of keeping chickpea pods undamaged, the authors also designed and fabricated a cyclone for pod collection and transportation and a centrifugal fan for suction generation in the pneumatic conveyor system. For better suction performance, a dedicated nozzle acting like a combine helical was designed for better pod accumulation. The mechanical power needed for rotating the header and the centrifugal fan was taken from a BCS harvester. The cyclone and the centrifugal fan were both mounted on the back of the machine to avoid obstructing the driver’s view and also to minimize energy loss due to the distance between the two components. After the design phase, the components were fabricated and assembled and the machine was subjected to preliminary assessments in laboratory conditions.