Cutting energy is one of the most important factors to design the types of grain combine and harvesters which harvests the agricultural crops. Aim is to determine the cutting energy, plays a vital role in lowering the energy consumption of grain combines and harvesters. Therefore, need for determining cutting energy is essential to redesign the harvesters. A pendulum type impact shear test apparatus was developed to calculate the energy requirement for cutting Sorghum stalks. It works on the principle of law of conservation of energy. The apparatus consisted of frame, pendulum, pointer, protractor, cutting blade and stalk holder. It was observed that the cutting energy of Sorghum stalks of 5, 10 and 15 mm girths at three moisture contents 10±1 %, 12±1 % and 14±1 % were MJ, MJ and MJ respectively. The results show that the optimum value of cutting energy was obtained at 14±1 % moisture content. It was observed that there is a positive correlation between cutting energy and stalk girth and negative correlation between cutting energy and moisture content. | Development and evaluation of pendulum type impact shear test apparatus
