Canola seeds losses during harvest using grain combine harvester as a function of thermal properties of canola unbroken pod

Document Type : Research Article-en

Authors

• Ehsan Ghajarjazi ¹
• Mohsen Azadbakht ²
• Farshid Ghaderifar ³

¹ Department of Bio-system Mechanical Engineering, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran.

² Department of Bio-system Mechanical Engineering, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran

³ Department of Agronomy, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran.

https://doi.org/10.22067/ifstrj.v1396i3.62905

Abstract

The present study investigated the thermal properties of canola pods (thermal conductivity, specific heat, and thermal diffusivity), canola losses (natural losses, platform losses, and total combine harvester losses), and unbroken pods in three common canola varieties cultivated in the North of Iran (Hyola 420, Hyola 401, and Hyola 50) at three times of pre-harvest, harvest, and post-harvest. Furthermore, the relation between the thermal properties of canola pods and the amounts of losses during harvest was studied. Thermal conductivity coefficient, specific heat, and thermal diffusivity were determined using line heat source, mixture method, and calculation methods, respectively. Seed losses were calculated, using a built grain collector. The results revealed that adjustments, variety, and sampling time had significant effects on thermal conductivity and specific heat of canola varieties at the probability level of 1%. The effect of the interaction between variety and time on thermal conductivity, specific heat, and thermal diffusivity was considerable at the probability levels of 1% and 5%, respectively. Furthermore, the effects of canola varieties and harvest time on natural losses, total combine harvester losses, as well as unbroken pods were substantial at 1% probability. In addition, a notable relation was observed between thermal conductivity coefficient and platform losses at 5% and unbroken pods at 1%. However, unbroken pods indicated a substantial relation with specific heat and thermal diffusivity at 1%.

Keywords

• Canola pod
• Harvest losses
• Thermal conductivity coefficient
• Thermal diffusivity coefficient
• Specific heat

References

Afzali, S.M.J., Sheikh-Davoodi, M.J., 2008. Comparison of harvesting methods of oilgrain rape in Khuzestan. The 5th National Conference on Agricultural Machinery Engineering and Mechanization, Ferdowsi University, Mashhad, Iran.

Aviara, N., Haque, M., 2001. Moisture dependence of thermal properties of sheanut kernel. Journal of food Engineering. 47(2), 109-113.

Azadbakht, M., Khoshtaghaza, M.H., Ghobadian, B., Minaei, S., 2013. Thermal Properties of Soybean Pod as a Function of Moisture Content and Temperature. American Journal of Food Science and Technology. 1(2), 9-13.

Bart-Plange, A., Addo, A., Kumi, F., Piegu, A.K., 2012. Some moisture dependent thermal properties of Cashew kernel ('Anarcardium occidentale'L.). Australian Journal of Agricultural Engineering. 3(2), 65-69.

Bitra, V.S., Banu, S., Ramakrishna, P., Narender, G., Womac, A.R., 2010. Moisture dependent thermal properties of peanut pods, kernels, and shells. Biosystems Engineering. 106(4), 503-512.

Gharibzahedi, S.M.T., Mousavi, S.M., Jouki, M., Ghahderijani, M., 2012. Analysis of physicochemical and thermo-mechanical characteristics of Iranian black seed (Nigella oxypetala Boiss). International Journal of Food Engineering. 8(3), 1-14.

Madani, H., Naderi-Broujerdi, G.h., Aghajani, H., Changizi, M., Pazaki A., 2008. The effect of harvest time on the performance and losses of canola grains (Brassica napus L. cv. Okapi) in Arak, Iran. New Agricultural Findings. 3, 286-296.

Mohsenin, N.N., 1980. Thermal properties of foods and agricultural materials. Gordon and Breach, New York.

Rabiei, M., Isfahani, M., Hosseini-Imani, S.S., Jilani, M., 2014. Determining the best harvest time of spring canola varieties as the second cultivation in North of Iran. Iranian journal of crops. 45(2), 227-233

Razavi, S.M., Taghizadeh, M., 2007. The specific heat of pistachio nuts as affected by moisture content, temperature, and variety. Journal of food Engineering. 79(1), 158-167.

Salarikia, A., 2012. Studying the effect of various temperature and moisture levels on the grain and shelled pistachio (two varieties). M.S.C. thesis, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad.

Soliemani, M., Kasraie, M., 2012. Determining optimum limits of adjusting cereal harvest combine cape to reduce grain loss in canola harvest through using cape modeled mean. Journal of agricultural machinery. 2(2), 102-108.

Yang, W., Sokhansanj, S., Tang, J., Winter, P., 2002. Determination of thermal conductivity, specific heat and thermal diffusivity of borage grains. Biosystems Engineering. 82, 169-176.