SELECTION OF HIGH-SPEED OPERATION MODES OF DISK-CELL SEEDING MACHINE
The authors analyze the technical possibilities of increasing the speed of operation of precision seed drills in order to increase the productivity and improve the quality of work. For this purpose mathematical analysis was applied to assess the process of filling and unloading of seeding disk cells and the effect of seeding machine speed on this process. As a result, recommendations are given to agricultural specialists regarding the selection of high-speed operation modes of the seeding machine and movement of the seeding unit. At present intertilled crops are sown with disk-cell seeding machines using encapsulated seeds, which require high precision of placement along the seeding furrow. Seeding precision is impaired by the fact that seeds roll along the furrow bottom after the seeder due to the large difference in the speed of seeding disk rotation and movement of the seeder. High-speed mode of operation of the machine reduces this difference in speeds, and the precision of seed placement increases. High-speed mode of operation of disk-cell machines during seeding of encapsulated seeds has two limitations, i.e. by the diameter of cells and by seeding disk rotation speed. When the diameter of encapsulated seeds is equal to 0.025 m, the maximum diameter of inlets in the cylindrical cells should not exceed 0.037 m. Otherwise, the seeds are being crushed. Peripheral speed of the seeding disk should be no more than 1.04 m/s in order to avoid the ejection of seeds from the cells by centrifugal force immediately after filling. Taking into account the identified restrictions, the speed of the seeding machine should not exceed 5.54 km/h. Otherwise, crushing of seeding material also occurs, and the quality of distribution of seeds along the seeding row deteriorates. Further increase in the speed of seeding machine movement is possible if the cells are not cylindrical, but conical or step-shaped, which will prevent the partial insertion of the second seed. However, such technical solutions should be theoretically substantiated and supported by engineering calculations.