Study of Potato Tuber Motion on the Elevator with a Separation Intensifier

Introduction. When harvesting potatoes from the waterlogged soils, the gaps between the elevator bars become clogged, the soil separation efficiency decreases while damage to potato tubers and yield loss increases. In this study, the authors propose a potato harvester intensifier in the paddle conveyor form to improve the separation quality for specific conditions. It is located under the carrying run of the main elevator apron. Aim of the Study. The aim of the study is theoretical justification of the potato harvester paddle intensifier for separating potato tubers from waterlogged soils in order to reduce damage to potatoes during harvesting. Materials and Methods. There was analyzed the work of the separation intensifier with a paddle conveyor located under the carrying side of the potato harvester main elevator with flexible flat blades moving towards the main elevator apron. The intensifier paddle, installed under the elevator carrying side, must act as a pusher when potato tubers stick and fall into the gap between the elevator bars in harvesting potatoes from waterlogged soils. Results. The analysis of potato tuber motion relative to the bar has showed that under the specified parameters and conditions the pitch of blades equal to 210 mm provides the falling of the ball clod from the bar and blade on the conveyor belt without impact. In order to avoid the friction of potato tubers and impurities with bars, the distance between the intensifier conveyor belt and bars must exceed the gap between bars. When the distance between the conveyor belt and bar is equal to 30 mm, the blade pitch is determined to within 1 per cent by the speed of a blade moving relative to the bar. Discussion and Conclusion. The conducted theoretical studies of the blade intensifier of potato harvester separation on overwatered soils revealed its high efficiency, which is confirmed by the results of field experiments.