Cotton Picker Research Articles

Multiple Attributed Parametric Review Study on Mechanical Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) Harvesters

Crop characteristics of cotton are crucial to identify the important crop attributes like plant height, canopy width, sympods and monopods distribution, row spacing which affects the performance of mechanical harvesters. The activity and effectiveness of most harvest aids, including desiccants is reduced by low temperature conditions. Trash content was observed to be lesser in cotton harvested by cotton picker than cotton harvested by cotton stripper. It was found that a maximum cotton yield of 1000 kg acre-1 was obtained for a cotton plant population ranging between 45,000 and 90,000 plants acre-1. Likewise, a minimum of 700 to 740 kg acre-1 was observed for a cotton plant population of 33,000 plants acre-1. In higher yielding cotton, cotton pickers recorded higher picking rate than cotton strippers. Picking/harvesting efficiency of cotton stripper with both finger and brush type mechanism was higher than the spindle type cotton picker. Picking efficiency of pneumatic picker was higher than the other types of picking mechanisms, but with lesser rate of picking capacity. Gin turnout of cotton was higher with cotton picker when compared with cotton stripper due to lesser trash content in picker harvested cotton. The horsepower requirement of cotton stripper ranged from ½ to ¼ horsepower and cost is about two-thirds of the price as compared with cotton picker. The scheduling and monitoring of various activities involved in cotton picking by using a suitable software model can increase the benefits of both growers and harvesting companies. The reduction in uniformity with roller gin-type lint cleaners ranged between 0.2 to 0.8%, which was lesser as compared with saw-type lint cleaners. Introducing mechanical harvesting has always been a decades-long process. In Turkey, it took 20 years and in Greece, this process took place very gradually over a 15-year period. Top cotton producing countries like India, Pakistan, China, Uzbekistan and other developing countries like Iran Paraguay are still not using machine harvesting. The introduction of mechanical cotton picker or stripper can help improve quality and quantity of cotton picking thereby giving more benefit to growers in developing countries and improving their socio-economic status. The most controversial issue raised by the introduction of the mechanical cotton harvester is great migration as the machines eliminated jobs and forced poor families to leave their homes and farms in search for urban jobs. Therefore Government policies towards cotton harvesting mechanization must include the alternative jobs, packages for dependent manual cotton pickers and their families.

VERTICAL SPINDLE COTTON HARVESTER WITH SYMMETRIC MOVEMENT OF SPINDLE DRUMS

The article deals with the trends in the development of structures, research work on modernization and creation of new vertical spindle cotton harvesting apparatus (CHA). Authors developed new CHA that works as follows: the CHA with a cotton picker moves on the cotton field; the cotton plants getting into the inter-drum slots are processed, that is, the raw cotton be harvested. The CHA are in their original position before picking raw cotton. When a thick cotton plant gets into the inter-drum slot of the front pair of drums, the spindle drums move apart and the inter-drum slot opens, while the connecting rods and the sliders move forward, providing the symmetrical opening of the slot relative to the longitudinal line of the cotton plant row. Further, this thick plant falls into the inter-drum slot of the second pair of drums, while the inter-drum slot of the second drums opens, while the connecting rods and the sliders move along the guides forward, providing the symmetrical opening of the slot relative to the longitudinal line of the cotton plant rows. With such a pairwise symmetric movement of the SD, depending on the thickness of the cotton plant, the force of spindle pressing on the cotton plant from both sides is identical and symmetrical, since the SD move symmetrically to the longitudinal line passing along the cotton plant row.

Integrated Optimization of Structure and Control Parameters for the Height Control System of a Vertical Spindle Cotton Picker

Vertical picking method is a predominate method used to harvest cotton crop. However, a vertical picking method may cause spindle bending of the cotton picker if spindles collide with stones on the cotton field. Thus, how to realize a precise height control of the cotton picker is a crucial issue to be solved. The objective of this study is to design a height control system to avoid the collision. To design it, the mathematical models are established first. Then a multi-objective optimization model represented by structure parameters and control parameters is proposed to take the pressure of chamber without piston, response time and displacement error of the height control system as the optimization objectives. An integrated optimization approach that combines optimization via simulation, particle swarm optimization and simulated annealing is proposed to solve the model. Simulation and experimental test results show that the proposed integrated optimization approach can not only reduce the pressure of chamber without piston, but also decrease the response time and displacement error of the height control system.

Features of picking cotton from the spindles of a vertical-spindle cotton picker with their variable kinematic modes

The paper considers the problem of increasing the efficiency of removing cotton from the spindles of vertical-spindle devices. The possibility of increasing the time of action of the stripper on the winding of cotton in the process of removing cotton from the spindles using an elliptical spindle drum based on a planetary-cam-lever mechanism is shown. Universal analytical expressions have been obtained to determine the limit and time of interaction of the stripper and the spindle with elliptical and circular trajectories of the spindle, the numerical experiment of which has carried out a comparative analysis of the work of the cotton picker in the area of picking cotton from the spindles. Some advantages in the operation of an elliptical drum in the removal zone are shown.

On improving productivity of a combined cotton picker

The article presents the results of research on increasing productivity of a cotton picker by increasing capacity of the bin for accumulating cotton. A technology and bladed firmer were developed for local, layer-by-layer cotton compaction separately in the back and front of a hopper. The modes of operation of the compactor and the required length of furrow have been established, which allow collecting a full basket without manual ramming of cotton. The proposed solutions made it possible to increase the capacity of the cotton picker basket 1.4-1.6 times. Productivity of the machine has increased by 10-15%.

Possibility of replacing the V-belts of the friction drive of vertical spindles with poly V-belts

The main indicator of the work of a cotton picker is its completeness of harvesting in one pass. For a vertical spindle machine, this indicator is relatively low and not stable. The main factor giving rise to these shortcomings is the quality of functioning of the friction drive of the spindles. In the existing version of the friction drive, the tension of the V-belts turns out to be not the same and uncontrollable, which is why the traction capacity of the drive does not ensure the stability of the assigned angular speed of the spindle, which violates the conditions for gripping the cotton by the spindle tooth. Previously, the authors published studies of a serial drive that revealed some shortcomings in their manufacture and operation. The article describes the essence of improving the operation of the spindle friction drive: the authors show that if poly-V belts are installed instead of conventional V-belts: the geometric sliding of the spindle roller will decrease, which will improve the energy consumption of the drive; the girth of the roller with the belt will improve, because V-ribbed belts are more elastic than single V-belts; the degree of compression of all the belt wedges, planted on a common power belt to the roller, will be more the same than individual V-belts. These indicators, according to the authors, will improve the stability of the technological process of capturing cotton by the spindle tooth, which will increase the completeness of the harvest of the entire machine.

Soil compaction in a new light: Know the cost of doing nothing – A cotton case study

Increased size of farm machinery has improved farm efficiency but at the risk of soil compaction. Here we present a novel approach investigating the effect of compaction due to in-field traffic by continuously monitoring crop canopy temperature and soil profile moisture and measuring crop yield in individual crop rows to determine the economic impact on cotton farming systems. Traffic by a tractor weighing 19.2 Mg either side of the plant row reduced lint yield by 27 % due to lower crop height, leaf area, biomass and fruit number. Elevated canopy temperature (Tc) in the compacted plots resulted in 30 % higher stress time (i.e. cumulative time when Tc is higher than the optimum Tc for cotton growth) compared with the non-compacted plots. Higher stress time in compacted plots was correlated with a 72 % and 27 % reduction in crop water use (estimated from change in soil water) at 0.3−0.5 m and 0.5 – 0.7 m depths, respectively. Water recharge in the soil profile from irrigation and rainfall was reduced by 16 % due to compaction with the highest reduction being 86 % at 0.3 – 0.5 m depth. These results demonstrate that compaction likely reduced root access to water below 0.3 m inducing water stress resulting in yield reduction. Tractors used for farm operations only compact one side of the bed, however, both sides are compacted in the absence of permanent wheel tracks. By comparison a dual tyre round module cotton picker weighing ∼32 Mg compacts 67 % of the rows on both sides and 33 % on one side suggesting greater economic loss in the following season compared to that estimated from the current study. Reductions in soil water recharge following irrigation and rainfall events due to compaction will further decrease farm efficiency and profitability. To our knowledge this is the first study related to soil compaction in any crop to show the direct relationship between yield, plant stress time and soil water dynamics at specific depths in profile. It is suggested that short term agronomic decisions (eg irrigation scheduling) need to be considered differently where compaction has been identified as limiting productivity. We recommend case studies be conducted to monitor the effect of compaction on commercial farm productivity and to demonstrate the cost of compaction across agricultural industries to drive practice change. Demonstrating the potential economic consequences of soil compaction by the integrated approach used in this study may encourage practice change to minimize compaction on farms.

Determination of the Machine and Tractor Fleet Optimal Composition for a Model Cotton­Textile Cluster

The authors showed that the cotton-textile cluster efficiency (the capacity of the machine-tractor fleet, cotton yield, the production profitability) largely depended on the use of the optimal number of tractors and agricultural machines. The existing methods (theoretical, graphic, economic and mathematical) were difficult for practical use and did not take into account the specifics of mechanized cotton growing processes. Therefore, it was important to develop a simple normative method for determining the optimal composition of the machine and tractor fleet for clusters, corresponding to the technological map for the production of raw cotton. (Research purpose) To calculate the required amount of agricultural machinery based on the established standards. (Materials and methods) The authors developed an algorithm for determining the standard coefficients of the equipment necessity per 1000 hectares of arable land. These coefficients for each type of equipment were established in the context of technological operations of growing cotton: plowing, soil preparing for sowing, sowing seeds, cultivating the soil between cotton rows, mechanized removal of growth points of the main stems and side branches of plants, defoliation with chemicals, machine harvesting and transportation of harvested cotton – raw. (Results and discussion) The authors proposed the term “model cotton-textile cluster”. They calculated the required amount of equipment for such a cluster with an area of 13,732 hectares. They determined the percentage of the machine and tractor fleet: the share of tractors – 28 percent, cultivators – 22, trailers – 19.8, cotton pickers – 13.8, the rest – 16.4 percent. They emphasized that the machines fleet could expand with the arrival of new modern machines produced by machine-building plants of the republic and imported from foreign countries. (Conclusions) The authors accepted the machine and tractor fleet of the cotton-textile cluster with the number of equipment 1660 units as rational. They proved that it ensured the implementation of all technological operations within agrotechnical terms.

Analysis of the shift quality of a hydrostatic power split continuously variable cotton picker

Abstract. In order to improve the ride comfort of a continuously variable cotton picker, the shift quality of the cotton picker is analysed. Firstly, the transmission principle of the hydrostatic power split continuously variable transmission (CVT) with a single planetary gear set is introduced; secondly, the shift dynamic model of the power train is constructed, and the key models are verified by experiments; finally, the influence law and mechanism of various factors in the shift qualities of a cotton picker are analysed. The results show that the increase in main circuit pressure will reduce the shift quality of the cotton picker; the influence of clutch-charging flow and acceleration rate on the shift quality of the cotton picker can be ignored; with the action time of the clutch delayed in a certain range, the shift impact first decreases slightly, then increases, and finally decreases; the increase in the cotton box weight can slightly improve the shift quality of the cotton picker but is at the cost of consuming more clutch-sliding energy. If different factors are evaluated together, the value of the main circuit pressure and charging flow should not be too large or too small. At the same time, the action time of a clutch to be disengaged should be delayed, and the action time of a clutch to be engaged should be advanced. The conclusions of this study can provide theoretical support for the controller development of a continuously variable cotton picker.

New universal inlet chamber for vertical and horizontal spindle cotton pickers

This article provides a versatile suction air intake chamber for vertical and horizontal spindle cotton pickers. The results of field tests using the new universal receiving chambers are presented. The results of field tests showed that the use of the new universal intake chambers reduced the power loss on the fan drive by 1.8 … 2 times compared to the Case-2022 horizontal spindle machine. For the MX-1.8 vertical cotton picker, the weediness of raw cotton was reduced by 1.0-3.0% and crushed seeds by 1.35 times compared to serial receiving chambers.

Combined cotton picker with interchangeable devices

Weather conditions in the risky cotton growing area largely determine readiness of the agricultural background of the cotton field for machine harvesting of cotton. A combined cotton picker with replaceable horizontal spindle and vertical spindle devices was invented. At full (85-90%) opening of cotton bolls, an option of a cotton picker with horizontal spindle is applied, and at incomplete (55-60%) opening – an option with vertical spindle devices is applied. Field trials of a cotton picker with removable devices were carried out. The estimated parameters were completeness of cotton harvest, residue on bushes, losses to the ground, debris and moisture of harvested cotton. Use of a combined cotton picker allows to harvest cotton selectively at full and incomplete opening cotton bolls. Productivity and cotton-picking quality has increased.

VERTIKAL SHPINDELLI PAXTA TERISH APPARATI TEXNIK SAMARADORLIGINI TA’MINLASH IMKONIYATI

In order for the use of the vertical-spindle cotton picker, created in Uzbekistan, to be economically effective, it is necessary, first of all, to increase its completeness of harvest. This indicator depends on many factors. However, the most important factor is that the spindle friction drive function is inadequate. Friction forces between the friction drive belts and the spindle roller determine its tagging capacity. The magnitude of the friction force depends on the pressure of the belts on the roller, which in turn depends on the tension of the drive belts. The article analyzes how much the tension of the drive belts in economic conditions meets the requirements.Key words:completeness of cotton picking by the apparatus; friction drive; belt tension; traction ability; direction and magnitude of the absolute speed of the spindle tooth; moment of power; variability of the angular speed of the spindle; gripping power of the tooth

Monitoring the behaviour of Australian Vertosols in response to the shrink–swell characteristic and cotton picker traffic

Vertosols are widely used for cotton production globally. One main advantage of this soil type is its capacity to improve its structure gradually due to natural processes over time. However, Vertosols are highly susceptible to compaction, especially under wet soil conditions. This study investigated the change in characteristics of Australian Vertosols due to the impact of rainfall, seasonal variability, and John Deere 7760 cotton picker traffic. Soil cores were collected between October 2016 and May 2017. Measurements of soil physical properties (soil water content, dry bulk density, and soil penetration resistance) were carried out in the 0–80 cm depth profile during the study period. Increasing soil water content due to rainfall caused the Vertosol to swell, providing some degree of natural compaction alleviation and decreasing the dry bulk density and soil penetration resistance. Increased temperatures from October 2016 to January 2017 resulted in increased moisture evapotranspiration. This led to shrinkage of the Vertosol and resulted in increased dry bulk density and soil penetration resistance, particularly in the top 0–30 cm of soil. Traffic from the JD7760 cotton picker induced significant compaction throughout the depth profile. These findings have important implications for farmers intending to grow crops in Vertosols and managing the issue of soil compaction.

Impact of cotton picker traffic on vertosol soil and yield in individual rows

This study investigated the impact of soil compaction owing to cotton picker traffic, and the impact of this compaction on cotton yield on a row-by-row basis across the field under both random traffic farming (RTF) and controlled traffic farming (CTF) systems. Measurements of soil water content, dry bulk density and soil penetration resistance were taken and compared with a depth of 80 cm both before and after traffic. It was found that the traffic of JD7760 round-bale cotton picker caused significant compaction in cotton rows and furrows located between, adjacent to, and in wheel tracks under both RTF and CTF systems, particularly for the top 30-cm depth. Because of the soil compaction, the yield was more significantly reduced (7~10% by the machine-pick method) in the rows between the dual-wheel than in those adjacent to the wheel track. Adopting CTF reduces the area of soil compaction and ensures the maintenance of soil characteristics of the cultivated portions of the farm, hence enhancing cotton yield.

Bench-scale study of centrifugal fan parameters

The article is devoted to the development of a special simulation bench installation for studying the quality of the centrifugal fan used in the suction -blower pneumatic transport system of modern vertical -spindle cotton pickers. The principle of operation of a production structure of a pneumatic transport system with a lateral elliptical inlet of the fan casing is described based on a known technical solution. In order to determine the optimal location of the lateral elliptical suction channel of the fan casing, a stand was created that includes a centrifugal fan mounted on a frame and receiving movement by means of a belt drive from an electric motor. Four different positions of the ellipsoidal inlet and one central side connection of the air intake to the fan casing were tested on the bench. Based on the experiments carried out using a given amount of transported cotton, the performance of the fan was determined with the least damage to the seeds.

Study of the influence of the guiding device on increasing the efficiency of fiber cleaning

In this article, the techniques and technologies established in the process of cleaning cotton and fiber are based on the fact that in the republic the cotton harvest is carried out mainly by hand. In order to preserve the natural quality of the cotton harvested in cotton pickers, it is necessary to improve the equipment for cleaning the fibers. The fiber refining process is one of the most important final processes in the cotton processing process, given that the quality of the fiber largely depends on the efficiency of this process. The article analyzes the scientific work on the mechanization of the type of collection and increasing the efficiency of its cleaning. In order to increase the efficiency of machine cotton picking, information is given on the need to improve the equipment for cleaning fibers used in cotton ginning enterprises. The research is based on the need to replace a specially designed device that guides the fiber to the desired tooth of the first saw cylinder located in a dual drum fiber cleaning equipment. It turned out that the new structural device can be installed on the existing equipment for cleaning fibers of JSC “Zarbdor pakhta tozalash” in the Jizzakh region and can produce from 18.2 to 127.4 kg of fiber from cotton of the first and fourth grades. Based on the results of the study, recommendations were given for widespread introduction of cotton into the production of cotton by installing a special guiding device on the equipment for cleaning fibers installed at primary processing enterprises.

Remote control device to control the contact uniformity of the brush strippers on the spindle’s surface of the cotton picking apparatus

In this paper, the question of implementation remote control of contact uniformity of brush strippers on a spindles surface of the harvest device of the mechanical cotton picker is considered. A brief analysis of known works is carried out and the urgency of the development of a specialized remote control system for the rotation speed of brush strippers and the uniformity of touching the brush strips on the surface of the spindles is substantiated. As a sensing element, it is proposed to use a strain gauge that changes its ohmic resistance when the stripper brush touches the spindle surface. A wireless GSM communication unit is used for remote transmission and reception of information.

Impact of better cotton initiative on health cost and pesticide exposure of women cotton pickers in Punjab, Pakistan.

Cotton picking is an exclusive work that is performed only by women in Pakistan. They are directly exposed to pesticide as cotton picking is usually done without protective measures which cause destructive effects on their health. Better cotton standard system involves trainings of cotton pickers to use precautionary measures and avoid pesticide exposure. The current study has been conducted to explore the health cost of women cotton pickers in conventional versus better cotton in Punjab, Pakistan. Primary data were collected from 600 cotton pickers through an organized questionnaire from three districts (Layyah, Toba Tek Singh, and Bahawalnagar). Ordinary least square method was used to find the pesticide exposure and socioeconomic factors affecting the health cost of women cotton pickers. The study shows that total cost per person, cost of medication, productivity loss, cost of accompanied person, and dietary expenses in better cotton are significantly less than those in the conventional cotton. Cost of precautionary measures in better cotton is significantly higher than conventional cotton as better cotton pickers are trained to use precautionary measures. Moreover, education, distance from hospital, and precautionary measures affect health cost significantly. Results suggest that education should be improved in rural areas. Better cotton standard system should be promoted in Pakistan through education and other training programs. Women cotton pickers should be encouraged to use protective measures.

Wear Behavior of Spindles of Cotton Picker in Field Work

Abstract Spindles in cotton picking machinery are the key component, wear of the spindles significantly reduces harvest efficiency of the cotton picking process. To improve its wear resistance, the substrate surfaces of spindles are usually electroplated with chromium coating. But the failure process and wear mechanism of the spindle have not been studied so far. In this paper, based on the surface analyses and wear behavior of spindles of a cotton picker in field work, the test results showed that the worn surface was smoother and wear trend of surface topographies tend to consistent along with the rotation direction of the spindle and found a significant reduction in roughness and coating thickness. The coating of the spindle surface has not been damaged in the picking process, the wear mechanism was mainly abrasive wear. After the worn out of surface coating, abrasive wear is always present accompanied by oxidation wear. Multi-oxides were deposited on the substrate surface; the oxide particle was sheared by cotton fiber in the subsequent picking, leading to an increase in surface roughness and aggravating substrate wear. These in filed wear mechanisms and processes of spindles could be of help for the design and surface modification with longer working life.

Research on the HMCVT gear shifting smoothness of the four-speed self-propelled cotton picker

Abstract. To improve the HMCVT gear shifting smoothness of the self-propelled cotton picker, the quadratic orthogonal rotation test was carried out through the HMCVT test bench and control system with engine speed, clutch oil pressure, flow control valve, load torque, displacement ratio as the influencing factors while jerk, dynamic load coefficient, speed drop, weighted acceleration RMS, frictional work as the response indexes. The mathematical model between the response indexes and the influencing factors was established through the data processing software Design Expert 10. After the single factor and multi-factor experimental analyses, the parameters were optimized based on the response surface methodology to obtain the optimal parameters. The test was carried out on the HMCVT test bench with the optimized parameter combination. The engine output speed was 900 rpm, the clutch oil pressure was 3.5 MPa, the flow control valve was 4.9 L min−1, the load torque was 130 Nm and the displacement ratio was −0.93. The result was as follows: the jerk was 5.04 m s−3, the weighted acceleration RMS was 0.467, the speed drop was 20.32 rpm and the dynamic load coefficient was 12.16. This study provides reference for the smooth shifting of the self-propelled cotton picker, which is of a certain significance to promote the operation of the self-propelled cotton picker under multiple working conditions.