WO2012018251A2

WO2012018251A2 - A fibrous crops harvesting system

Info

Publication number: WO2012018251A2
Application number: PCT/MY2011/000183
Authority: WO
Inventors: Desa Ahmad; Omid Ghahraei
Original assignee: Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM)
Current assignee: Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM)
Priority date: 2010-08-04
Filing date: 2011-08-05
Publication date: 2012-02-09
Anticipated expiration: 2013-02-04
Also published as: MY174366A; WO2012018251A3

Abstract

Kenaf is a warm season annual thick stem fibrous crop which contains two basic components: bast fibers in the outer bark and an inner core of short xylem fibers. Most of the existing modified harvesters change the stems to small fragments. In addition, kenaf industries need kenaf fibers to be as long as possible. The gathering system (100) and cutting system (200) are designed and fabricated for a kenaf harvester attached as off-set equipment to the ordinary tractor. The V- shaped sidewalls (109) of the present invention head help to receive, push and guide the stems to better cutting. The gathering system (100) can keep the stems upright before and after cutting and convey the cut stems upright via a straight tunnel (111) to off-load the stems behind the tractor. Impact rotating cutting system (200) comprising of a large diameter disk (203) and some special blades (201) can cut four rows of stems, concurrently.

Description

Title of Invention: A FIBROUS CROPS HARVESTING SYSTEM Technical Field

Technical Field

[1] The present invention generally relates to a system for harvesting fibrous row crops for example kenaf, including mechanisms to catch, keep, gather, cut, and off-loading row green thick and fibrous stems.

Background Art

[2] Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L., Malvaceae) is a warm season annual fiber crop

closely related to cotton and okra. As the commercial use of kenaf continues to diversify from its historical role as a cordage crop (rope, twine, and sackcloth) to various new applications including paper products, building materials, absorbents, and livestock feed, choices will continue to increase and involve issues ranging from basic agricultural production methods to marketing of kenaf products.

[3] The commercial success of kenaf has important potential economic and environmental benefits in the areas of soil remediation, toxic waste cleanup, removal of oil spills on water, reduced chemical and energy use for paper production, greater recycled paper quality, reduced soil erosion due to wind and water, replacement or reduce use of fiberglass in industrial products, and the increase use of recycled plastics. The activities of private industry augmented by public supported agricultural research continue to provide a diverse range of new kenaf products that suggests a bright future for the continued expansion of kenaf as a commercial crop.

[4] Kenaf contains two basic components: bast fibers in the outer bark and an inner core of short xylem fibers. The high-value bast fiber can be sold for paper manufacturing, either locally or for export. The inner core can be retained either by the farmer for on- farm use as animal bedding or for processing in other markets. Kenaf stalk consists of 40% bast fiber and 60% core fiber , approximately . Its yield has been reported to produce 6 to 10 tons of dry fiber per acre in 4 to 5 months time .

[5] Kenaf is sown all year round but better at the onset of rainy season, and harvesting at maturity, better done during dry season usually between 120-150 days after sowing. For better fiber quality the best harvest time is at 20 days after 100% flowering of stand. The rainy season in MARDI area (near the UPM) is between April to June and again from September to November.

[6] When harvesting kenaf for fiber use, the moisture content and the equipment

availability are important considerations. Kenaf can be harvested for fiber when it is dead, due to a killing frost or herbicides, or when it is still growing. The dry standing kenaf can be cut and then chopped, baled or transported as full length stalks. Actively growing kenaf can be cut and then allowed to dry in the field. Once dried, the kenaf can then be chopped, baled or transported as full length stalks. The availability of in field harvester/separators will add to the harvesting options.

[7] The evaluation of procedures for harvesting kenaf continues to be an important

aspect of commercialization. The harvesting method depends on the location, the equipment availability, processing method, and final product use. There are several methods currently being employed for harvesting kenaf in the world: using forage harvester or chopper and modified sugarcane harvester.

[8] In the first method, forage-type harvesters or choppers are generally used for

harvesting kenaf, because of their high efficiency and low cost. However, forage harvesters cut kenaf stems into too short fragments, while kenaf stems with a length of 10 cm and more are requested by the industry.

[9] In the second method, the unmodified, slightly modified or wholly modified

sugarcane harvesters use rotating knives or circular cutting blades to cut the lowest point of the kenaf stalk and to cut off the low fiber, high foliage, and top portion of the plants. These long stalks then pass through the equipment in an upright fashion and then are laid down in long windrow piles to field-dry. Once these stalks have been field-dried on the ground other sugarcane equipment with articulating claws can be used to pick up the kenaf stalks and place them in sugarcane wagons. This type of system can be used to harvest both live and dead kenaf stalks. If the kenaf stalks are already dry at harvest, the harvesting system can be reconfigured to immediately transfer the long cut stalks to in-field wagons traveling with the harvesting equipment or existing sugarcane harvesters could be adapted to cut the kenaf stalks in smaller segments (e.g. 30-cm segments) prior to transferring them to in-field collection wagons. Similarly the wholly modified sugarcane harvester, can cut the wet stalks at ground level and often removing the leaves, the stalks are cut with a chopper and gathered in an accumulator.

[10] Drawbacks of the sugarcane-type harvesting systems include the transport and

storage of the low density stalks or stalk segments. The high-density is necessary to get the full weight in a truck and to ship kenaf, economically.

[11] Both types of machines (sugarcane type and forage chopper type) technically

functioned well, but the harvest costs of a sugarcane harvester were found to be much higher than those of a forage field chopper. The low unit density of either the individual kenaf stalk or the chopped kenaf stalk will affect management decisions concerning the economic transportation and storage of the kenaf material. Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem

[12]

Technical Solution

[13]

Summary of The Invention

[14] According to first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fibrous crop harvesting system comprising: a gathering system configured to collect produce; and a cutting system located below the gathering system configured to cut the produce; characterized by the gathering system having mechanism to keep the whole length of the produce upright and intact after cut. The provision is beneficial as it provides the ideal type of fresh raw harvested kenaf stems the industry need to have.

[15] According to second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fibrous crop harvesting system comprising: a gathering system configured to collect produce; and a cutting system located below the gathering system configured to cut the produce; characterized by the cutting system having means to cut thick stems with minimum cutting energy. This provision is advantageous as it results in ability the present invention to perform stem cutting for more than just a stem in one time, thus making the cutting process more efficient.

Description of Drawings

[16] For a fuller understanding of the nature of the present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

[17] FIG. 1 : illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of harvesting system of the present invention

[18] FIG. 2 : illustrates a schematic view of one embodiment of belt tensioning

mechanism of gathering system of the present invention.

[19] FIG. 3 : illustrates a schematic view of one embodiment of belt pressure adjustment mechanism of gathering system of the present invention.

[20] FIG. 4 : illustratesa schematic plan view of one embodiment of the gathering system of the present invention.

[21] FIG. 5 : illustrates a side view of one embodiment of the gathering system and

cutting system of the present invention depicted in FIG. 1.

[22] FIG. 6 : illustrates a schematic view of one embodiment of cutting blade of the

cutting system of the present invention.

[23]

[24] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT [25] Most of the existing kenaf harvesters deliver chopped and crushed segments of kenaf stems with the length of 3-22 cm that should be gathered and baled as soon as possible after harvesting. If low density of chopped stems and increasing the transportation cost are important, or kenaf industries do not need chopped stems or need specific segments size, or we want to decorticate dead or fresh whole-stalks to separate bast and core, kenaf stems must be collected and sent whole-stalks without any storage. This harvesting system has been designed according to the cutting tests results of kenaf stems with lower costs and more efficiency than the existing kenaf harvesting technologies, but the present invention also can be used for harvesting other thick stem fibrous row crops such as hemp and jute.

[26] It is useful for three separating methods of kenaf core and bast fibers (decorticating, sieving and floatation), especially for decorticating method that needs full length stalks (dry before or after cutting in the field or fresh while cutting). In a decorticator, feed rollers break the core of whole stems and bladed beater rollers beat the core pieces from the bark.

[27] Average kenaf stems height of V36 variety reaches to 3-3.5 m. These stems are so heavy and juicy while cutting. Gathering system at the head of harvesting system with 10°-20° angle to the ground level helps keep the stems while cutting. Gathering belts catch, keep upright, guide and apply pressure on each row into a groove to be cut. For every pass, four rows with 30 cm row spacing can be entered, so effective width of harvester is 110 cm. After cutting, gathering belts can play the role of a conveying system. These belts convey the upright cut stems toward the narrow tunnels to off-load a row behind the tractor.

[28] Cutting system includes a large diameter disk and four blades that can easily harvest four rows at a time. This rotating impact cutting system is the simplest and lowest component cutting system that can cut the stems by impact force and helping the stem inertia and disk weight forces at the cutting moment.

[29] Special design for cutting blade in shape and material gives a chance to overcome more thick stems with the minimum cutting energy. Knife blade angle (ANE) is the angle of the bevel edge of the knife. The blades are beveled on both sides and can be reversed in case of damage on one side of blade. It is not acceptable to choose common materials to fabricate the cutting knives. Raw blades made from alloyed steel must be polished and heat-treated to make a hard surface and soft pith under solid carburization procedure. Hard surface helps the blade to prevent failure in cutting procedure, and soft pith help absorb the impacts during the cutting.

[30] The power needed to operate the gathering and cutting systems of current harvesting system is provided by PTO shaft of the adjacent tractor that pulls it as off-set equipment. Power transmission begins from PTO, and then goes to main gearbox and main shaft, toward the cutting system and both side drive rollers of the gathering system.

[31] FIGS. 1 illustrates the perspective view of a gathering system 100 for thick stem fibrous row crops of the present invention. The gathering system comprising 16 long rollers 101, 103 and four wide and long belts 105 which not only provide a controlled feeding of four rows of stems to the cutting system 200, but also help the harvester to keep and transfer strongly the tall and heavy kenaf stems while cutting, before and after. The gathering system 100 is based on a 10°-20° slope surface/slanting floor 107 that can help better bring the cut stems up after cutting from cutting point to the slope surface 107. Tractor power is transmitted to the harvester via a propeller shaft from PTO shaft to main gearbox 300 .

[32] Also seen in FIG. 1, the present invention head has four entrances 109 formed from V-shaped sidewalls that help the gathering system by guiding rows to enter into each groove before cutting. The gathering system 100 obtains operating powers from four rear drive rollers 103 by some sprockets via a shaft connected to main gearbox 300.

[33] As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 4 andFIG. 5, it is supposed to cut four rows in one pass, therefore, the V-shaped sidewalls entrance gate 109 of the present invention head helps to push the stems to enter easily into the grooves towards the cutting blades 201.

Gathering belts 105,drive rollers 103,anddriven rollers lOlhelp to guide the stems towards the cutting disk 203, and also keep them upright and in touch with the belts 105 until being delivered to exit tunnels 111. Four shoes 113 can keep the fixed height, and prevent the head from damage by the ground level obstacles.

[34] FIG. 2 clearly shows the belt tensioning mechanismll5workswith an increase or decrease in the roller distances. The belt pressure adjustment mechanism 118 includes a double-sided bearing shaped armll9and a torsion springl21thatcan push the belt 105 sides to keep the cut stems upright and in touch with the belts 105.

[35] FIG. 5 andFIG. 6 illustratethe cutting system 200 which includes a large cutting disk 203 and four cutting blades 201 inwhich cut the stems upon arriving at the end of the groove. A small slope surface 205 is used at the end of each groove for easy lifting of the cut stems from the lower cutting space towards the higher slope surfacel07.

[36] Although the invention has been described with reference to particular embodiment, it is to be understood that the embodiment is merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present invention. It is therefore to be understood that numerous modifications may be made to the illustrative embodiment that other arrangements may be devised without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Best Mode Mode for Invention

[38]

Industrial Applicability

[39]

Sequence List Text

[40]

Claims

1. A fibrous crop harvesting system comprising:

a gathering system 100 configured to collect produce; and

a cutting system 200 located below the gathering system 100 configured to cut the produce;

characterized by

the gathering system 100 having mechanism to keep the whole length of the produce upright and intact after cut.

2. A fibrous crop harvesting system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the gathering system 100 further comprising:

an entrance gate 109;

a shoe 113 located at the entrance gate;

a roller 101, 103;

a belt 105 rolling over the roller 101, 103;

a belt tensioning mechanism 115 attached at the roller 101, 103 configured to adjust the roller distance;

a belt pressure adjustment mechanism 118 operatively connected to the roller 101, 103 configured to keep cut stems in touch with side belt sides;

a slanting floor 107 for receiving, guiding, keeping, and transferring upright the stems; and

an exit tunnel 111 allowing the cut stems transferred.

3. A fibrous crop harvesting system as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the belt pressure adjustment mechanism 118 further comprising: a double sided arm 119 and a torsion spring 121 that push the belt sides to keep the cut stems upright and in touch with the belt 105.

4. A fibrous crop harvesting system as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the slanting floorl07 is slanting off the ground.

5. A fibrous crop harvesting system as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the gathering system 100 having at least 4 entrances 109; at least a shoe 113 at each entrance 109; at least 16 long rollers 101, 103; and at least 4 wide and long belts 105.

6. A fibrous crop harvesting system comprising:

a gathering system 100 configured to collect produce; and

characterized by the cutting system 200 having means to cut thick stems with minimum cutting energy.

[Claim 7] 7. A fibrous crop harvesting system as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the cutting system 200 further comprising:

a cutting blade 201; and

a disk 203 holding the cutting blade 201.

[Claim 8] 8. A fibrous crop harvesting system as claimed in Claim 6 or Claim 7, wherein the cutting system 200 further comprising a disk 203 and four cutting blades 201.

[Claim 9] 9. A fibrous crop harvesting system as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the blades 201 are beveled on both sides and reversible.

[Claim 10] 10. A fibrous crop harvesting system as claimed in any precedent claims, the power to operate the gathering 100 and cutting system 200 is provided by PTO shaft of the gearbox 300 of the adjacent tractor that pulls it as off-set equipment.