Articles
OPERATIVE PERFORMANCE AND WORK QUALITY OF A HAZELNUT PICK-UP MACHINE
Article number
845_66
Pages
425 – 430
Language
English
Abstract
Highly efficient mechanical systems for hazelnut harvesting can reduce labor need and associated costs, increasing crop profitability.
High field capacity allows repeated runs through the orchard and consequently a shorter stay of nuts on the ground, thus improving product quality.
With vacuum harvesters, a powerful air stream is used both to pick up fruits and to remove debris.
With pick-up harvesters, instead, a rotating-brush is used to lift fruits while cleaning is done mechanically through transfer/cleaner augers.
The G.F. Jolly 2800 harvester was tested on different picking surfaces, for its operative performance and work quality.
Good results were obtained both on bare ground (test A) and on ground covered with grass (test B), mown before fruit fall.
The machine can harvest even when overgrown grass occurs after frequent rainfall during the harvesting period, with no need for herbicides.
The results showed, respectively for test A and B, a good hourly productivity (2.6 and 2.5 t h-1) and a high operative working capacity for both plots (0.35 ha h-1), thus allowing repeated runs.
A low dust production was observed, with less air pollution in the groves, since the pick-up brush and the augers are enclosed.
Dust is reduced even more when the machine works on grass-covered fields.
High product cleanliness (97 and 94%) was achieved through the multiple action cleaning, with augers moving the product through consecutive steps, in which revolving cylinders remove leaves and metal grids separate dirt.
Good picking efficiency and small ground losses (8.5 and 10.4%) were achieved by adjusting both the distance of the picking head from the ground and the rotational speed of the brush.
High field capacity allows repeated runs through the orchard and consequently a shorter stay of nuts on the ground, thus improving product quality.
With vacuum harvesters, a powerful air stream is used both to pick up fruits and to remove debris.
With pick-up harvesters, instead, a rotating-brush is used to lift fruits while cleaning is done mechanically through transfer/cleaner augers.
The G.F. Jolly 2800 harvester was tested on different picking surfaces, for its operative performance and work quality.
Good results were obtained both on bare ground (test A) and on ground covered with grass (test B), mown before fruit fall.
The machine can harvest even when overgrown grass occurs after frequent rainfall during the harvesting period, with no need for herbicides.
The results showed, respectively for test A and B, a good hourly productivity (2.6 and 2.5 t h-1) and a high operative working capacity for both plots (0.35 ha h-1), thus allowing repeated runs.
A low dust production was observed, with less air pollution in the groves, since the pick-up brush and the augers are enclosed.
Dust is reduced even more when the machine works on grass-covered fields.
High product cleanliness (97 and 94%) was achieved through the multiple action cleaning, with augers moving the product through consecutive steps, in which revolving cylinders remove leaves and metal grids separate dirt.
Good picking efficiency and small ground losses (8.5 and 10.4%) were achieved by adjusting both the distance of the picking head from the ground and the rotational speed of the brush.
Publication
Authors
R. Fanigliulo, R. Tomasone
Keywords
harvest, farm machinery, ‘Tonda Gentile Roman’, picking efficiency
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