Research of the windrow formation process of the non-grain part of the corn and sunflower crop during harvesting for energy purposes

Annotation Purpose. Improving the harvesting efficiency of the non-grain part of the corn and sunflower crops for energy purposes by substantiation of technical means for the forming the windrows with increased linear mass. Methods. Analysis of technological processes of harvesting the non-grain part of the crop (NGP) of corn and sunflower, mathematical modeling of material distribution and the windrow formation of the non-grain part of the crop. Results. The analysis of harvesting technological processes of corn and sunflower NGP is carried out. The way of harvesting of the NGP which has passed through a combine thresher into the trailed hopper with the increased running weight windrow formation on the field edge is proved. The dependences of the sheer force of the crushed layer of the NGP by the vertical wall of the combine harvester's trailed hopper are obtained analytically. Numerical simulation of material distribution and windrow formation of the NGP was performed. The constructional-technological scheme and parameters of the trailed hopper-windrower of the combine harvester are substantiated. Conclusions. The efficiency of harvesting the NGP of corn and sunflower for energy purposes can be improved by collecting the crushed mass passing through the combine thresher into a trailed hopper and forming the windrows with increased linear mass at the edge of the field for drying out and subsequent lifting by serial balers. The structural and technological scheme of a trailed hopper-windrower for a combine with a folding conveyor has been developed based on the results of simulation the processes of moving the stalk masses of the NGP of corn and sunflower. It was found that, the windrow formation process proceeds stably when the height of the crushed material of the NGP of corn and sunflower in the hopper chamber is within 2.0–2.2 m, with the angle of inclination of the discarding conveyor to the vertical within 8–15 deg and the speed it movement within 3–4 m/s. Keywords: non-grain part of the crop of corn and sunflower, harvesting of non-grain part of the crop, windrow formation.