Document Type : Original Article

Abstract

 
The current research investigated the draft force, soil disturbance area, specific draft, tractor fuel consumption, slippage of drive wheels, drawbar power, traction efficiency, and overall energy efficiency of subsoiling. The effects of forward speed (1.8, 2.3, 2.9 and 3.5 km/h) and depth (40 and 50 cm) on these parameters were evaluated using a randomized complete block design. An increase in forward speed increased draft force by 7%, specific draft by 15.4%, fuel consumption by 10%, wheel slippage by 2.9%, drawbar power by 108.3%, and overall energy efficiency by 6% and decreased soil disturbance area by 7.2% and traction efficiency 10%. Increasing the subsoiling depth increased the draft force by 21.3%, soil disturbance area by 25.6%, fuel consumption by 39.6%, wheel slippage by 2.8%, and drawbar power by 21.4% and decreased specific draft by 3.4%, traction efficiency by 6.7%, and overall energy efficiency by 1.4%. The most efficient operating settings were a working depth of 40 cm with a forward speed of 2.9 km/h.

Keywords

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