Electronic Journal of Polish Agricultural Universities (EJPAU) founded by all Polish Agriculture Universities presents original papers and review articles relevant to all aspects of agricultural sciences. It is target for persons working both in science and industry,regulatory agencies or teaching in agricultural sector. Covered by IFIS Publishing (Food Science and Technology Abstracts), ELSEVIER Science - Food Science and Technology Program, CAS USA (Chemical Abstracts), CABI Publishing UK and ALPSP (Association of Learned and Professional Society Publisher - full membership). Presented in the Master List of Thomson ISI.

Copyright © Wydawnictwo Akademii Rolniczej we Wroclawiu, ISSN 1505-0297

Špokas L. , Steponavičius D. 2006. OPTIMIZATION OF OPERATING PARAMETERS OF THE THRESHING UNIT AT SPELT WHEAT HARVESTING, EJPAU 9(3), #17.
Available Online: http://www.ejpau.media.pl/volume9/issue3/abs-17.html

ABSTRACT

Spelt wheat is the crop suitable for ecological farms, because it is disease-resistant, winter-hardy, less demanding for the soil and fertilizers and its seeds do not need dressing. The Schwabenspeltz is the best variety resistant to lodging.

Tests carried out in 2002-2003 defined the biometrical characteristics of the spelt wheat Schwabenspelz. Different meteorological weather conditions in both years had no significant influence to the biometrical characteristics of the plants. Combine harvesting of this spelt wheat variety at medium grain moisture content (15.8%) brought about the following: the ears broken by the reel amounted to 1.6%, the naked grain in the grain tank did not exceed 10%, the hulled grain equaled to 83%, the ear fractions made approximately 5% and the impurities did not exceed 2%. The hulls comprised approximately 35% of the overall grain mass.

Optimal adjustment of the threshing unit operating parameters has been substantiated by the laboratory tests. When the spelt wheat of medium moisture content was threshed the permissible load of the drum rasp bars of 1 m length was 3.3 kg·(m·s)^-1, and that for the dry wheat (12% grain moisture content) was 4.2 kg·(m·s)^-1. The load of the threshing unit has been limited by the permissible unseparated grain amount (20%), which falls with straw on the straw walkers. Damage of the naked spelt wheat grain did not exceed permissible 2%, less than 15% chaff and straw pieces were found in the materials separated through concave when the drum rasp bars load was not less than 2.5 kg·(m·s)^-1 of the crop of the spelt wheat at the medium moisture the optimum clearance between the drum and the concave was set to 14-8 mm, the peripheral velocity of the drum reached 31.4 m·s^-1. For the dry grain the appropriate setting were 16-6 mm and 28.3 m·s^-1, respectively.

Key words: Spelt wheat, threshing losses, grain damage, adjustment of threshing units.

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Liudvikas Špokas
Department of Agricultural Machinery,
Lithuanian University of Agriculture, Kaunas-Akademija, Lithuania
Studentų g. 15A, 53362 Kaunas-Akademija, Lithuania
email: liudas.spokas@lzuu.lt

Dainius Steponavičius
Department of Agricultural Machinery,
Lithuanian University of Agriculture, Kaunas-Akademija, Lithuania
Studentų g. 15A, 53362 Kaunas-Akademija, Lithuania
email: dainius.steponavicius@lzuu.lt

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Responses to this article, comments are invited and should be submitted within three months of the publication of the article. If accepted for publication, they will be published in the chapter headed 'Discussions' and hyperlinked to the article.

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