The dissertation is devoted to the decision of an actual problem of increase of quality of work of potato harvesters at the expense of increase of efficiency of process of separation of a potato heap by development of a design and substantiation of parameters of combined digging-separating working body of the potato harvester.
The constructional and technological scheme of the combined digging-separating working body of the potato harvester, which includes vertical active bar drums and a passive heap distributor, is substantiated.
Theoretical analysis of the interaction of the potato heap with the working bodies is carried out. The parameters of rod drums on the condition of non - damage and prevention of potato tuber losses are substantiated. The design parameters of the heap distributor are substantiated.
Developed field installation. The influence of the main parameters of the distributor on the clogging of potato tubers with soil impurities has been experimentally investigated. The efficiency of the proposed working body is proved. Prototypes were developed and field tests of potato digger and potato digger-loader with digging- separating working body were carried out. It is established that a potato digger with digging-separating working body when harvesting potatoes with a yield of 30,6 t/ha, which is planted by ridge method with rows of 0,7 m on black soil with a moisture content of 13,6-15,3%, hardness 1,14 MPa, provides loss of tubers – 0,8%, damage to tubers – 4,8%. It is established that the potato digger-loader with digging-separating working body when harvesting potatoes with a yield of 24,3 t/ha, which is planted by ridge method with rows of 0,7 m on black soil with a moisture content of 16,1-18,0%, hardness 1,13-2,0 MPa, provides completeness of tuber collection - up to 99,4%, purity of tubers in containers – 97,4%, damage to tubers – 4,6%. The results of field research confirm the effectiveness of the new digging and separating working body.
The economic estimation of efficiency of use of the potato digger-loader with the digging-separating working body is carried out. The estimated annual economic effect is UAH 43300,0.
For the digging-separating working body received the patent of Ukraine for the invention №66901, declaration patent №63436А, patent for utility models № 20358. Based on the results of theoretical and experimental research, technical documentation was developed, which was used in the manufacture of potato digger KRK-2, digger-loader KKN-2.
