JUSTIFICATION OF THE DESIGN PARAMETERS OF THE IMPROVED WORKING BODY OF SEPARATION OF POTATO HARVESTING MACHINES

Abstract

Potatoes are one of the most widespread crops in Ukraine and occupy a significant part of agricultural land. At the moment, the vast majority of potato cultivation in Ukraine is concentrated on homestead farms. Such farms, which usually have a small area of land, constitute the majority of potato producers. Peculiarities of homestead farms are the use of manual labor and low mechanization in technological operations. Ukraine is one of the world leaders in the production of potatoes, occupying a stable position in the top five countries with the largest production volumes of this crop. However, it is important to note that the achievement of such large volumes of potato production is partly due to traditional methods and limited mechanization in production processes. Accordingly, the purpose of the research is to increase the operational productivity of the potato harvester and reduce tuber damage due to the substantiation of the design parameters of the improved working body of the separation of potato harvesters and planned prospective directions. The article substantiates the design parameters of the improved working body of the separation of potato harvesters. The influence of various parameters on the productivity and quality of potato separation, including the shape and size of the working organs, the angle of inclination of their elements, the speed of movement, and others, was studied. The results of the research make it possible to develop an optimal configuration of the working body, which will ensure increased productivity and efficiency of harvesting potatoes with minimal losses and product damage. The conclusions of the article can be useful for manufacturers and researchers of agricultural machinery to improve the quality and efficiency of potato harvesters.