Optimization and validation of blade parameters for inter-row weeding wheel in paddy fields.

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Engineering
• Robotics
• Agronomy

Background:

• Existing rice-paddy weeding machines exhibit suboptimal performance.
• Improving weeding efficiency is crucial for rice cultivation.
• Optimizing machine components can enhance agricultural practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the influence of weeding-wheel blade angle on cutting resistance and soil-slippage.
• To determine the optimal installation angle for weeding-wheel blades.
• To optimize the overall performance of rice-paddy weeding machines.

Main Methods:

• Numerical simulation to determine optimal blade angle.
• Orthogonal-rotation combination tests with varying weeding depths, rotation speeds, and forward speeds.
• Field experiments to evaluate seedling injury and weeding rates.

Main Results:

• Numerical simulation indicated an optimal blade angle of 0°.
• Optimal working conditions identified: 39 mm weeding depth, 175 r/min rotation speed, and 0.6 m/s forward speed.
• Achieved seedling injury rate of 4.4% and weeding rate of 88.2%.

Conclusions:

• The study provides a technical reference for improving paddy-field weeding components.
• Optimized weeding machine parameters meet agronomic requirements.
• Blade angle and operating conditions significantly impact weeding performance.