Agricultural Engineering International (E-Journal, CIGR - International Commission of Agricultural Engineering)
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Design, fabrication and performance evaluation of a rotary power weeder for maize cultivation
Full text linkThis research work focused on the design, fabrication and performance evaluation of a rotary weeding machine for maize cultivation which is powered by a 1.25 hp petrol engine. The research work was aimed at reducing cost, labour, stress and time wastage involved in the weeding operation on the maize farm. The unit comprises of an engine, rotary blade, gearbox, fender, depth controller, walking wheel, handle and shutdown switch. The machine was fabricated from locally sourced materials, which makes it cheap and easily affordable and also easy and cheaper to maintain. The performance test of the machine was done in a maize field. The result of the field test revealed that the effective field capacity, field efficiency, weeding efficiency and the percentage of plant damage was 0.038 ha/h, 78.75%, 74.0% and 1.40% respectively. The total cost of construction the machine was US 1.45/h or US$ 38.16/ha. In compare with manual weeding the designed weeder can save 67.04% operational costs
Development and evaluation of semi-automatic controlled atmosphere storage facility for calamansi (Citrofortunella microcarpa)
Full text linkThe designed semi-automatic controlled atmosphere storage facility for calamansi (Citrofortunella microcarpa) was developed with the application of vapor compression refrigeration engineering principles and arduino system to lengthen the fruit shelf-life for commercialization and processing purposes. The prototype's overall dimension is 210 cm in length, 120 cm in width, and 120 cm in height, and has a storage volume of 0.512 m3. It has a storage capacity of about 90-120 kilograms. The main components of the facility are the compressor, condenser, capillary tube, and evaporator as the main components. The arduino system includes temperature and RH, O2, CO2, N2 sensors, a humidifier, arduino uno board, relay switch, a power supply, a DC-AC converter, a GSM module, a network simcard, jumper wires, and LCD monitor.
The facility has an operating temperature of 8°C-10°C, and can control the concentration of gasses to 7-12% O2, 1-6% CO2, and 80-90% N2, the optimum storage condition for calamansi thus, reducing respiration rate and fruits deterioration. Moreover, the system can send an SMS to the operator when gas concentration, RH, and temperature are below the optimum level and can automatically turn on and off the humidifier and compressor. The developed storage facility is 23.38% higher weight retained of not rotted calamansi compared to conventional storage under ambient conditions
Effect of Gamma Radiation and Laser Exposure on Color Properties of Sesame Oil during Storage
Full text linkThe aim of the present study was measured of the color properties as Hue degree, Saturation value, and Brightness value (HSB). Three samples of Sesame oil was exposure by laser) diod laser with wavelength 450 nm) with three times (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 hour) and three samples of sesame oil were irradiated by Gamma Rays with three dosses 2, 4, 8 kGy) and one sample without any treatment (control). The processing of an image starts with the transfer of the image to the PC, where the image analysis process is applied.
After that, it is performed the segmentation to watermark determine if each pixel belongs to bottom, skin or color. The parameters obtained from each Sesame oil sample (in each image are the pixel number of lighter oil (Stage 1), of darker or sesame oil profile (Stage 2). Taking image of each Sesame oil samples, a total number of 6 parameters can be obtained.
Color properties {Hue, Saturation and brightness (HSB)}, color component {Red, Green and Blue (RGB)} of sesame oil. The obtained results were showed that by increasing Gamma radiation doses and exposure time of Laser, Hue Degree was increased, that mean the color of sesame oil may be improved to be less quality. While, Hue Degree was decreased by increasing storage period. Also, by increasing Gamma radiation doses and exposure time of Laser, the value of saturation was decreasing, that means that the color of sesame oil may be improved to be high quality. Meanwhile, the value of saturation was decreased by increasing storage period. As well as, by increasing Gamma radiation doses, exposure time of Laser and by increasing storage period the value of brightness was decreasing.
 
Cattle Behavior Recognition System using Machine Learning and Internet of Things
Full text linkCattle behavior recognition system is an innovative way to assess the well-being of cattle by analyzing their behavior data. Non-intrusive monitoring systems using accelerometers have become popular due to their affordability and ease of use, especially when coupled with machine learning algorithms. However, accurately identifying different behaviors can be challenging, as similar acceleration data may be associated with different actions. To address this issue, we present an efficient approach that combines leg-mounted and collar-mounted accelerometers to recognize six distinct cow behaviors: Walking, Standing-Resting, Grazing, Lying-Resting, Lying-Ruminating, and Standing-Ruminating. To determine the best accuracy, different machine learning algorithms were employed and their performance is analyzed. With its non-intrusive design and high-performance capabilities, this technology has the potential to revolutionize the livestock industry by allowing farmers to monitor their herds more effectively and make informed decisions to improve their welfare
Innovative Robot For Chamomile Flower Harvesting As A New Approach Based On Visual Selection
Full text linkOne of the most significant crops, the production of which the Egyptian government tends to increase, is chamomile flowers. In contrast, the expansion of this crop's agriculture is being driven by the high cost of manual harvesting. The goal of this study was to design and test a robot that could harvest chamomile flowers while preserving the plant's health, cutting costs, and maintaining flower quality. A prototype of chamomile flower harvesting robot was designed, manufactured and tested. The robot consists of three main systems: the mobile platform, the delta mechanism, and the visual selection system which detects the flowers ready for harvesting. The flower quality and technical evaluation criteria were the two primary evaluation factors. An overall evaluation criterion for manual harvesting and harvesting robots was also calculated in order to compare the two harvesting systems. The chamomile robot could achieve a cycle time of 3s and harvest time 21s/plant. During the harvest season, the robot produced 1200 flowers/hour with an average harvest success 75% - 89%. Three aspects of the robot's visual system were examined: detection ability, accuracy, and detection precision ratio. The outcomes demonstrated that the robot could achieve an accuracy of 72.4% and a detection precision ratio of 75%. For the flower quality criterion, the majority of the flower samples gathered by the robot fell into the high-quality and medium-quality flower categories. According to the overall endpoint results, the robot outperformed manual harvesting (23.53%) in terms of percentage (80%)
A study on generating bioelectricity from urban waste in Iran, A case study of Golestan province
No full textThe increasing use of various products and the rise of population and urbanization in the world have led to a significant increase in waste streams, such as environmental pollution, bio waste, and especially greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Therefore, it is important to manage these biowastes effectively. One way to do this is to apply sustainable material management (SMM) strategies. This study examines the SMM strategies in detail. The economic analysis was done to estimate the amount of bio-based electricity that can be obtained from MSW according to the situation of Iran, using the data collected. This study is based on fourteen different cities with different population sizes and growth rates and using the reference amount of MSW production in the cities of Golestan province. The results show that the population growth has caused an increase in the amount of MSW. Also, by comparing the average theoretical potential of electricity generation and the average amount of total fossil-based electricity consumption in the Golestan province, it was found that electricity generation from MSW could cover up to about 8 % of the electricity demand in Golestan province. The results also indicate that the population size has a very strong effect on the increase of the studied values, and its changes have a very significant effect on the return on investment through the production of electricity
Design and fabrication of a de-feathering machine with scalding Tank
Full text linkManual de-feathering of poultry birds has been an age long practice which is time consuming and labour intensive for small scale poultry processors. This study developed a de-feathering machine with scalding tank. The machine was evaluated in terms of machine plucking time, machine capacity and machine efficiency. The machine components (frame, belt length, pulley, shaft diameter, immersion heater, scalding tank, de-feathering chamber and electric motor) were designed using standard engineering procedures. The machine testing was carried out by using nine poultry birds made up of three birds each of broiler, layer and cockerel at 55oC scalding temperature and at 7.54 m/s machine speed. The average machine efficiency for broiler, layer and cockerel were 93, 92 and 89% respectively. The average machine capacity for broiler, layer and cockerel were 167, 155 and 139 birds/hr respectively. The machine capacity and machine efficiency decrease accordingly from broiler, to layer and to cockerel. The average machine plucking time for broiler, layer and cockerel were 22, 22 and 28 s respectively. The de-feathered birds appeared undamaged thereby preserving its market value
Image Quality Enhancement using CLAHlet RetiGaussian Filter for Maize Leaf Images
Full text linkIn this world of digitization, most of the data is in the form of images acquired using camera. Image enhancement plays a vital role in the quality improvement of digital images. In this work, a combined approach based on the contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization (CLAHE) and Retinex algorithm is proposed. It is a wavelet based Retinex algorithm with adaptive histogram equalization and gaussian filter. Firstly, the image is enhanced using CLAHE. Then the image is decomposed using Daubechies wavelet followed by the Retinex algorithm, which uses low frequency components to enhance the image. Lastly, a gaussian filter is used to smoothen the image. The dataset of maize leaf disease is used for the analysis of quality enhancement and denoising. It is clear from the results that the proposed method improves the quality by reducing the noise of the maize leaf images. Theses refined images can be used for maize leaves disease detection and classification system to achieve high accuracy
Design and development of a double-row weeder for rice field: Eco-Friendly weed management solution.
Full text linkAgricultural mechanization and technology adoption are rapidly increasing in Bangladesh, particularly in the context of weed management in rice fields. This study addresses the pressing need for efficient and labour-saving methods by designing and developing a manually operated double-row weeder tailored to the specific conditions of Bangladesh. The weeder is designed to clean weeds between field rows, optimizing the weeding and mulching processes. The hypothesis guiding the design includes a line-to-line distance of 20 cm, a push-pull action, and an operating condition of 3~5 cm of standing water to soften the field. The weeder incorporates essential elements such as a skid/float, float holder, main body frame, rotor, axel, bush, rotor holder, rotor holder adjuster, handle, handle holder, handle height adjuster, handle arm, handle arm jointer, nut, bolt, and more. For fabrication of the weeder, MS sheet, MS pipe, MS flat bar, MS nut-bolt, and other materials were used. The weeder features four rotors with six blades in each drum, strategically positioned for optimal weed uprooting and burial. The precise 2 mm-thick float assembly, set at a 20° angle, ensures smooth operation. With an efficient field capacity of 0.037 ha/h, the weeder demonstrates a weeding efficiency of 76.88%. The weeder weight is 7.5 kg, which helps pulverize the topsoil and enhance soil aeration. The developed weeder holds excellent potential for farmers in Bangladesh, offering improved comfort and reduced labour in weeding and mulching operations
Review On Pollution Reduction From Textile Industry Wastewater By Non-Thermal Plasma Technology, And Its Impact On the Environment And Human: Review On Pollution Reduction From Textile Industry Wastewater By Non-Thermal Plasma Technology, And Its Impact On the Environment And Human
No full textRapid industrialization and population growth intensify the global demand for clean water, particularly challenging in industries like textiles facing stringent water use permits. This review addresses the textile industry's significant water crisis, emphasizing the role of textile wastewater as a major environmental pollutant, laden with persistent chemicals and heavy metals. Conventional treatment methods, such as adsorption and coagulation, prove inefficient and environmentally hazardous. The review highlights the potential of nanomaterials for contamination removal. As a solution, Non-Thermal Plasma (NTP) technology emerges, demonstrating effectiveness in decontamination. Case studies illustrate NTP's success in achieving over 80% removal rates within short timeframes. Despite NTP's promise, challenges, including energy consumption, must be addressed. Thorough pollutant characterization using various analytical methods, such as UV–vis spectroscopy and chromatography, is crucial. The review concludes by emphasizing the need for further research to optimize NTP, making it a cost-effective and sustainable solution for textile wastewater treatment, safeguarding the environment and public health