Design and Performance Testing of a Drainage Ditching Device for Tobacco-Rice Rotation Fields

Abstract

To address the issue of high power consumption during ditching operations in tobacco-rice rotation systems in Southern China, a drainage ditching device suitable for these fields was designed and developed based on the soil characteristics and cultivation patterns of the region. The device primarily consists of a traction frame, a cutter disc, ditching blades, a flow-guiding device, and a ditch-clearing plough. The ditching blades are arranged in a spiral pattern with intervals, comprising 7 groups of 2 blades each, totaling 14 blades. Based on the device design and determination of soil parameters, soil particle models and a soil-device interaction model were established using discrete element method (DEM) simulation software. Simulations and analyses were conducted to investigate the effects of forward speed, cutter disc rotational speed, and blade combination on power consumption during the ditching operation. The results indicate that forward speed, blade combination, and cutter disc rotational speed significantly impact power consumption. The optimal parameter combination was determined as follows: forward speed of 0.223 m/s, cutter disc rotational speed of 2.5 r/s, and blade combination type c, resulting in a power consumption of 24 kW for the drainage ditching operation.