Puddling Performance of the Tilling Wheel of Float-Assisted Tillers
at Different Lug Angle and Forward Speed
Arthur L. Fajardo1, Delfin C. Suministrado2, Engelbert K. Peralta3, Pepito M. Bato41 and Eduardo P. Paningbatan, Jr.5
ABSTRACT
Float-assisted tiller is one of the popular equipment used for lowland tillage in the Philippines. The float-assisted tiller consists of a front-mounted tilling wheel plus a flotation chamber on which the engine is mounted. The float-assisted tiller’s wheel has the same configuration as that of a lowland two-wheel tractor’s cage wheel. The cage wheel-like configuration of the tilling wheel produces traction and floatation for the tiller.
The study aimed to determine the effect of varying lug angle (0° and 13°) and forward speed (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 kph) on the puddling characteristics of the tilling wheel. The experiments were done using a single tilling wheel in a soil bin using Maahas clay. Torque transducer, speed shaft sensor and load cells were used to measure forces.
The highest maximum draft of 135.02 N was at 1.0 kph on the 1st pass with 13° lug angle. The highest performance index was at 1.0 kph (third pass) with 13° lug angle (1,173.98 m3/MJ). Generally, the puddling performance index increases as number of passes increases for all forward speed. Moreover, the tilling wheel best performed with 13° lug angle at 1.0 kph. Statistical analyses showed that draft, puddling index, performance index and tractive efficiency were significantly affected by the lug angle. Tractive efficiency is not significantly affected by the number of pass. On the other hand, mean differences of draft, puddling index and performance index were not significant between second and third pass.
Keywords: float-assisted tiller; tilling wheel; tillage draft; performance index
Citation:
Fajardo, A.L., Suministrado, D.C., Peralta, E.K., Bato, P.M., and Paningbatan, E.P., Jr. (2015). Puddling Performance of the Tilling Wheel of Float-assisted Tillers at Different Lug Angle and Forward Speed. Philippine Journal of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, 11:12-21.