PROGRESS REPORT. The Maize Trust

Transcription

1 PROGRESS REPORT To The Maize Trust From Institute for Agricultural Engineering September 2010 Submitted by: Contact person: Compiled by: AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH COUNCIL (ARC) Mr S Sibanda Institute for Agricultural Engineering Tel: Fax: SibandaS@arc.agric.za T Mavundza and J van Biljon Power Requirement of the New generation Implements-Maize Trust

2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This document briefly details the power requirement of the new generation implements project of The Maize Trust and the Institute for Agricultural Engineering of the Agricultural Research Council. The document defines the objectives of the design and provides feedback on the field tests conducted in North West province. The resources and time required for the project are summarised in the project management chapter. The results of the field trails are discussed and recommendations for future improvement are provided. ii

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION Background Information Project Objectives ON-FARM OPERATION PROJECT MANAGEMENT Administrative and Material Resources Expenses Project Plan RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS Drawbar Implements Three Point Linkage Implements Soil Profiles CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED OUTSTANDING WORK RECOMMENDATION AND CONCLUSIONS APPENDIXES Test report Tests results...13 Page iii

4 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background Information Profit is a measure of success in farming business and is a function of cost per hectar on the use of tractors and implements. Information on the usage of both tractors and implements helps farmers to make informed decision on whether to hire or purchase implements. A lot of implements together with tractors are being manufactured and supplied to South African market and farmers without proper performance specification relating to local soil conditions (South African soils). It has come to Agricultural Research Council Institute for Agricultural Engineering s (ARC-IAE) attention that the Guide to machinery costs was last updated in 1985, hence farmers are imprudent when using the newly develop implements. In selecting suitable tillage implement for a particular farm situation, draft power requirement data is an important factor. Draft power requirement of each soil types differs, hence operational implement tests should be conducted on each soil type. Over the years until today tests has shown that soils with high clay content are difficult to manipulate and with high draft power requirement for tillage implements. Implement specification, such as effective working width, working depth and operational forward speed affect draft power requirement significantly. Draft is affect soil conditions and angle of proclivity between the soil and implement. It is recently found that the high the angle of proclivity, the lower the draft. Farm managers and consultants can only make informed and sound decision on selection of tractors and implements based on their performance parameters. Proper selection and matching of implement onto the tractor is essential to reduce operational cost, as result efficient use of farm machinery will be ensured. The ARC-IAE, Grain SA, Co-op and SAAMA played their role and facilitated the testing of new generation implements in North West province. Table 1.1. gives names of individuals and their organisation, that are involved in this project. 2

5 Table 1.1 Project investigators Name Organization Role Prof T.E Simalenga ARC - IAE Project Coordinator Mr S Sibanda ARC - IAE Project member Mr J van Biljon ARC - IAE Project member Mr T Mavundza ARC - IAE Project member Mr MF Matlwa ARC - IAE Project member Mr P Makwela ARC - IAE Project member Mr P Botha Grain SA Project member Mr M du Plessis Co-op Project member Mr Andrii Co-op Project member 1.2 Project Objectives The purpose of this project is to update the Guide to Machinery Costs and provide up-to date information for correct matching of implements to tractors. Specifically this is being achieved through: Collection of data on tractor and implements (acquisition cost, interest rate, repair and maintenance costs). Laboratory and field testing and evaluation of new implements, to determine drawbar pull, KWh, fuel consumption and work rates. Synthesising laboratory and field test results to upgrade the Guide to Machinery Costs manual. 3

6 2. ON-FARM OPERATION Field test were conducted in three different farms in three towns of North West. These sites have different soil types sandy, loamy and clay. They were identified and recommended by Co-op project members. Terrain out look of the three fields are shown in Figure 2.1. Koster Lichtenburg Mareetsane Figure 2.1 Field layout of the chosen three sites Clay content and moisture contents were measured and recorded before the trials commenced. Details of the results and soil classifications are presented in Table 2.1. Table 2.1 Site specification Site Moiture (%) Clay (%) Soil Type Lichtenburg 5 15 sandy loam Koster clay Mareetsane sandy 4

7 3. PROJECT MANAGEMENT 3.1 Administrative and Material Resources Expenses Administrative expenses included phone calls, faxes, petrol and diesel. The petrol/diesel was used to travel from Pretoria to all three above mentioned sites. This also included the trips made to suppliers for meetings and picking up materials. Detailed records of all the project expenditures were kept so as to ensure transparency and help to work within the allocated budget of the project. Table 3.1 gives a summary of material and costs used for this project. The cost of each of the components has been determined by quotations furnished by the various suppliers. The breakdown of each and every item used and its costs is provided. Table 3.1 Project expenses Item Quantity Rates Costs On site transport 2500 km R 3.00 R 7, Diesel 300 liters R 8.00 R 2, Soil sample bottles 5 R R Accommodation 4x5 persons R R 7, Daily allowance 4.5x5 persons R R 5, Man hours 402 hours R R 163, Fax R Communication Phone R 2, Reports R 1, R 3, s R Co-op expence R 85, Total R 274,

8 3.2 Project Plan 2010 Activity identify primary (deep disturbance of the soil) implement for soil preparation and their market prices Site identification(summer rainfall areas) for the trials and logistic planning Conducting on-farm trails Compile progress report on the trials conducted Identify secondary (minimal disturbance of the soil) implements and conduct on-farm trials 2011 identify primary (deep disturbance of the soil) implement for soil preparation and their market prices Site identification(summer rainfall areas) for the trials and logistic planning Conducting on-farm trails Compile progress report on the trials conducted Identify secondary (minimal disturbance of the soil) implements and conduct on-farm trials Milestone/Timeline Report Report Data collection Progress report Progress report Report Report Data collection Progress report Progress report 6

9 4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS A telemetry system is installed on a 100 KW tractor of the Agricultural Research CouncilInstitute for Agricultural Engineering. This system uses wireless communication network, which is effective up to a distance of three (3) kilometres between antennas. The tractor is also equipped with a three point linkage mobile dynamometer to measure instantaneous and continuous power requirement of each implement. Figure 4.1 illustrate the tractor and the implement during the on-farm trails in North West Province. 100 kw Tractor Control Station Mobile Dynamometer Figure 4.1 Telemetry system during on-farm trials In this section, the results obtained from the trails conducted are analysed and discussed. The on-farm trails were divided into there categories, namely drawbar implements, three point linkage implements and soil profile. 7

10 4.1 Drawbar Implements These implements were tested using a drawbar equipped with strain gauge to measure the force in kilowatt (kw). The tests results have shown that the drawbar of the tractor needs to be redesigned, as it cannot withstand the force exerted by heavier implements. 4.2 Three Point Linkage Implements More time was spent on hitching these implement onto the tractor, this was due to the intermediate mobile dynamometer. The dynamometer was hitched on the three point linkage system of the tractor and each implement had to be hitched onto the dynamometer as the strain gages were installed onto the dynamometer for data capturing. The traction efficiency of all tested three point linkage implements is 59 % on sandy loam (Lichtenburg), 66 % on clay (Koster) and 50 % sandy soils (Mareetsane). See more details in Appendix Soil Profiles A soil horizon is a specific layer in the land area that is parallel to the soil surface and possesses physical characteristics which differ from the layers above and beneath. However for this project we focus on how much the soils are disturbed or manipulated by the tine implement during operation. For example refer to Appendix 8.1 on the AREA PROFILE. 8

11 5. CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED Few years ago ARC-IAE engineers use to refer and apply the following statement, What cannot kill you, can only build you on field projects. During the field trails and analysis of the results challenges were identified, this will ensure better planning and anticipation for the test on-farm trails. Specifically the following are the challenges encountered: Trails should be conducted during normal farming season, i.e. when commercial farmers starts preparing their field. Clay content of the identified field should be known before hand. This will ensure clarity to the engineers whether the soil can be classified as clay, sandy loam or sandy soils. In all the fields (different soil conditions), forward speed and working depth of the implement should be kept constant for the ease of comparison of the results. The chosen fields should be prepared and fields should have minimal variation of the clay content. At least three trails runs should be conducted per implement to ensure certainty of the results. All tine implement from different suppliers should be tested. It is believed that good consideration of this challenges and recommendations will not only build but provide quality of the tests and results obtained. 9

12 6. OUTSTANDING WORK 1. All implement on the Guide to machinery costs must be tested. This must include implement from other companies in South Africa. Namely: Field cultivator Light disc harrow Heavy disc (off-set or one way) Chisel plough Ripper plough Mouldboard plough Heavy spike-tooth harrow Spreader (lime or Fertiliser) Maize planters Trailed combined for maize Hammer mills Self-propelled combine for maize, and Boom sprayers. 2. Site identification and preparation at least three weeks before the trails starts 10

13 7. RECOMMENDATION AND CONCLUSIONS Fuel consumption is directly related to engine kilowatt. The most important data needed to pull an implement is the engine kilowatt. Hence the three point dynamometer which measures drawbar pull (kw) might not be necessary in the future for this project. More repeats will be done further tests are executed to get good measure of data. The team which includes soil scientists and technical personnel of the co-op add significant value to the project. The project is fairly under-control, however addition funding is required to conduct the remaining tasks and update the guide accordingly. 11

14 8.1 Test report 8. APPENDIXES 12

15 8.2 Tests results Trash Handicult Implement Type Chisel plough DLB12 Forward speed (km/h) Fuel Rate (l/h) Specific fuel rate (l/ha) Work rate (ha/day) Engine power (kw) Drawbar power (kw) wheel slip (%) effective width (m) working depth efficiency (kn/m2) Traction efficiency std shares small H-shares Ripper super full H-shares full H-shares full H-shares (500 mm) full H- shares Ripper super Plough 4 share 18" wide setting Para Plough setting setting setting Chisel Plough Vibro flex std shares grass shares grass shares (300 mm)