Optimization of duration of winter wheat harvesting by means of a multifunctional unit
The article deals with the optimal duration of winter wheat harvesting with the view of decreasing the expenses, reducing the harvest losses and improving the crop quality. By means of modeling and optimization of the TORUM-750-based multifunctional unit with a function of simultaneous straw pressing, the duration of winter wheat harvesting and the operating width of combine header are substantiated. The novelty of this approach to the problem solution is based on the use of new multifunctional unit, combining the harvesting and straw pressing during only one pass across the field. The research of new production process was carried out with the use of mathematical modeling; the minimum of function of expenses and losses was used as the objective function (criterion of optimization). The dependences were obtained, namely the dependence of function of expenses and losses on the duration of wheat harvesting, the dependence of operating width of header of the TORUM-750 combine on the throughput capacity of its threshing machine, on the crop capacity, the straw content in grain mass, the operating speed and the zonation index for the Southern region of Russia. The control-flow chart for optimization of operating process of the multifunctional unit is developed. The analysis of optimization results allows to draw a conclusion that the optimal duration of winter wheat harvesting by means of the TORUM-750-based multifunctional unit with a function of simultaneous straw pressing in the conditions of the Southern region of Russia should be five calendar days; the operating width should be 4.5 m with the crop capacity of 10 t/ha and the operating speed of the unit of 5 km/h. The obtained results allow to estimate a possible use of the function of expenses and losses for substantiation of optimal duration of different crops harvesting.