STUDYING SOME OPERATIONAL FACTORS FOR AGRICULTURAL WASTE SHREDDER (BAERCAT) AND THEIR IMPACT ON SOME TECHNICAL INDICATORS OF THE MACHINE

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the performance of the BAERCAT shredder during shredding some farm waste to reduce its size and produce unconventional animal feed. A split-split plot design used to implement the experiment with three factors, first factor was the cutting knife type with two levels serrated edge and a smooth edge, the second factor was feeding speeds with two levels (5.5 and 9.5 rpm), and the third factor was types of crop waste with two levels (palm fronds and corn stalks) with three replicates. The cutting speed was fixed during the experiment (1450 rpm). Some machine performance indicators were studied, including machine productivity, total required power, specific energy and Power to accelerate the forage. The results indicated that the knife with a serrated edge achieved the highest productivity (109.60kg/h), the lowest total required power (7.00kw), and the lowest specific energy (0.0647kwh.kg^-1). The lowest total required power was achieved (7.20 kw). The lowest Power to accelerate the forage (0.043kw) at feeding speed (5.5 rpm), while the type of crop (corn stalks) gave the lowest total power required (7.00 kw), the lowest Power to accelerate the forage (0.050 kw), and the lowest specific energy (0.0687kwh.kg^-1), Increasing the feed speed increased the machine's productivity and the total required power, The highest machine productivity values, the lowest total power required, fuel consumption, specific energy using a knife with a serrated edge.