Theoretical justification of the parameters of the rollers and the modes of flattening

BACKGROUND: The proposed design of the flattening device will ensure an increase in the quality of harvested grass feeds, since the time for drying it is reduced, and the additional adhesive agent increases the feed value, in addition, the loss of leaf and small-stemmed parts of plants is reduced by gluing them with stems in the total mass of the roll.

AIM: The set of technological measures used for the preparation of a particular feed from plants should ensure the maximal possible preservation of their nutritious, physiologically useful qualities. The aim of this study is to improve the quality of harvested grass feeds by increasing the feed value and reducing mechanical losses.

METHODS: As an object of research, a mower with devices for flattening and processing grass with an adhesive-nutrient agent, a centrifugal-type cutting mechanism, a flattening device with two ribbed rollers is considered. One of the conditions for the stable operation of the roller device is to ensure stems capturing by the rollers without unloading and clogging.

RESULTS: The principle of operation of the mower differs from the prototype in that the mown grass is flattened not by rolling between two rollers, which is effective with low grass yields and low device capacity, but by dragging the plants between adjacent surfaces of the protrusion of one roller and the groove of another roller, whereas the adhesive agent is applied by spraying onto the grass not before mowing but after flattening and forming a loose roll with a forming device.

CONCLUSION: The work was analyzed and the theoretical justification of the parameters of the rollers and their modes during the grass flattening was carried out. The parameters of the flattening device for forage harvesting must meet the following conditions: the capture of the mown grass and its rolling between the rollers with a constant compaction force.