Sugercane harvesting machinery

The process involved in sugarcane harvesting is base cutting of sugarcane, detopping, detrashing, bundle making and transporting the harvested cane to sugar mills.
Manual sugarcane harvesting is a very labor-intensive and laborious activity.
About 850-1000 man working hours per hectare is required for harvesting of sugarcane manually. Detopping and detrashing of crop itself takes about two-third of manpower required for harvesting. Delayed harvesting affects the quality of sugarcane, yield, juice quality and sugar recovery.
Mechanical harvesting also makes green cane harvesting possible, which reduces Green House Gas emissions. Sugarcane harvester should be capable to perform the following sequence of functions:
1- Gather and feed the cane toward the functional mechanisms
2- Cut the base of cane stalk.
3- Cut the green top of the cane stalk.
4- Feed cane stalks inside the machine.
5- Chop cane stalks into billets.
6- Blow out green tops and dry leaves.
7- Elevate chopped cane up to be loaded on a vehicle.

1. Seminar
on
Sugarcane Harvesting Machinery
HimanshuS. Pandey
Ph.D. Scholar
Department of Farm Machinery & Power Engineering
College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology MPUAT, Udaipur(R.J.)

2. Introduction
Sugarcaneisthemostimportantagro-industrialcropwhichisbeingcultivatedin
around4.50millionhectaresareainIndia.
Thecountryhasproducedmorethan355milliontonnesofcaneatanational
averageof70tonnesperhectare.
Inthepresent,requiredtoproducemoresugarperunitarea,timeandinputinorder
tokeeppacewiththepopulationgrowthwhilepreservingthesoilandwater
resources.
Byadoptingtheappropriatemechanicalalternativesnotonlyincreasingthe
productivitybutalsocostefficiencyinsugarcaneproductionsystem.
Useofmachineryforsugarcanecultivationfacilitatestimelinessofoperation,
reducinghumandrudgeryandimprovingoverallproductionefficiency.

3. Sugar cane harvesting
Theprocessinvolvedinsugarcaneharvestingisbasecutting
ofsugarcane,detopping,detrashing,bundlemakingand
transportingtheharvestedcanetosugarmills.
Manualsugarcaneharvestingisaverylabor-intensiveand
laboriousactivity.
About850-1000manworkinghoursperhectareisrequired
forharvestingofsugarcanemanually.
Detoppinganddetrashingofcropitselftakesabouttwo-
thirdofmanpowerrequiredforharvesting.
Delayedharvestingaffectsthequalityofsugarcane,yield,
juicequalityandsugarrecovery.
Mechanicalharvestingalsomakesgreencaneharvesting
possible,whichreducesGreenHouseGasemissions.

4. Method of Sugar cane harvesting
Harvestingpracticesareclassifiedintotwogroups;
❑harvestingofcaneswithpre-harvestburning(burntcane
harvesting)and
❑harvestingofcaneswithoutburning(greencaneharvesting).
➢Basedontheformofharvestedmaterials,twoclassesofharvesters
havebeendeveloped:
❑wholestalkharvestersand
❑chopperharvesters(billets)

5. Burnt cane harvesting
Intheburningprocess,fireissetinaconfined
predeterminedfield,whichburnsoffleafy
extraneousmaterials,includingstalktopsanddry
leaves.
Thereducedleafymaterialsleadtoreducedwaste
insugarproduction.
Pre-harvestburningburnsoffabout80%ofcane
leafymaterialsleadingto30%to40%improvement
inharvesterproductivity(Braunbecketal.,1999).

6. Limitations
Pre-harvestburninghasbecome oneofthemostsensitive
environmentalissuesfacedbylocalcommunitiesandpublic
pressureagainstcaneburning
However,caneburninghasvariousnegativeimpactsonsugar
yield.

7. Green Cane Harvesting
Particularmechanicaldeviceisthenusedtoseparateleafymaterialsand
dischargethemintothefield.
Fromtheperspectiveofsoilnutrientbalanceandenvironmentaleffects,this
methodmayprovideamoresustainableoptionforsugarcaneharvesting
Theresiduesleftinfieldcouldhelptocontrolweeds,reducesoilmoistureloss,
anddecreasesoilerosion(Braunbecketal.,1999).
Amajorchallengeforgreencaneharvestingpracticeisthattheincreased
amountofextraneousmaterials(suchastopsandleafymaterials)extensively
increasesmachineload.

8. Chopper Harvesting
Thechopperharvesterincludesamechanismto
chopstalksintouniform-sizedpieces.
Inthismethod,canetoppingandbasecutting
arefollowedbychoppingstalksinto30to40cm
longbillets.
Generally,choppedbilletsaredirectlyloaded
intowagonsrunningalongsidetheharvester,thus
eliminatingstalkcollectionoperation.
Itdoesnotrequireadditionalequipmenttopick
upthewindrowedsugarcanestalksontowagons.

9. Cont..
➢chopper harvester should be capable to perform the following sequence of
functions:
1-Gather and feed the cane toward the functional mechanisms
2-Cut the base of cane stalk.
3-Cut the green top of the cane stalk.
4-Feed cane stalks inside the machine.
5-Chop cane stalks into billets.
6-Blow out green tops and dry leaves.
7-Elevate chopped cane up to be loaded on a vehicle.

10. Components of a sugarcane chopper
harvest system
➢Thebasiccomponentsofasugarcanecombineare:
(i)Gatheringmechanism
(ii) Topping mechanism
(iii) Base cuter
(iv) Feed conveyor
(v) Chopper
(vi) Elevator
(vii) Cleaning by air blast

11. Base cutting unit
Cane gathering throat of a harvester: (1) butt lifting roller;
(2) cutting blades
Feeding harrow rollers comprising of one harrow wheel and
three rows of flexible tines

12. (1) topper; (2) knockdown roller; (3) crop divider; (4) fin roller; (5) base cutter; (6) feeding
rollers; (7) primary extractor; (8) chopper

13. Limitations
Thechoppingprocessacceleratessugardeterioration
becauseoftheeasyaccessofbacteriathroughabrasion,
failurepoints,andcutsurfacesinchoppedbillets.
Theharvestedbilletsneedtobemilledasfastaspossible.
Inaddition,therealsoexistssubstantialjuicelossduringcutting
andchoppingoperations.
Canejuicelossleadstothereducedsugaryield.

14. Whole stalk cane harvesters
Themachineconsistedofrotatingknivesforsevering
tops,acuttingbar(similartochainsaw)forcutting
caneplantbase,andaconveyingsystemtodeliver
andplacethecutstalkintowindrows.
Wholestalkharvestershavearelativelysimpler
structure.
Sometimesfarmersusuallysetfiretothewindrows
andburnedofftheleafymaterials.
Then,windrowedcanestalksarepickedupand
loadedtowagonsbycaneloaders.

15. Cont…
Wholecaneharvestershouldbecapabletoperformthefollowing
sequenceoffunctions:
1-Dividerstogatherthecaneintherowbeingcut,andtoseparateitfrom
caneinadjoiningrows.
2-Base-cutterstoseverthecaneatgroundlevel.
3-Afeedingdevicetotakethecanefromthebase-cutters,andconveyit
throughthemachine.
4-Acleaningdevicetoremoveanddiscardtrashandtops.
5-Abintoaccumulatecane,

16. (1) topper; (2) crop divider and lifter; (3) base cutter; (4) conveying device; (5) defoliating
device; (6) cane collector

17. Limitations
Sincesugarcaneplantscangrowupto5m,itischallengingforwholestalk
harvesterstohandlelodged/bentcanestalks.
Harvestingbentcanesalsoresultsincanestwistedintovariousdirections.
Therefore,itisdifficulttoarrangewindrowedstalksintocompactbundles
neededforeasyhandlingandtransportation.
Anotherdisadvantageisthatwholestalkharvestershavelimitationsin
dealingwithhightonnagesugarcane.

18. Cane flow in typical sugarcane whole stalk harvesters and chopper harvesters.
Flow diagram of sugar cane harvesting

19. The basic components combined in a frame and provided with a power unit and vehicle, constitute a cane
combine (Fig. 3). It is generally powered with an engine of about 150 hp.

20. Push-rake system
➢Push-rakesysteminvolvespushingandpilingofsugarcane.
➢Itismadeofverysturdytinesweldedtoaframeandmountedinfrontof
tractor.
➢Whenmachineispushedintostandingcaneinthefield,itbreaksthestalksoff
atthesurfaceofgroundandleavestheminpiles.
➢Thepilesofcaneisthenloadedintotruckanddeliveredtothemills.
➢Themaindrawbackofthismachineisthatthecaneisnottoppedandcane
deliveredtomillcontains¼toone-thirdoftrash.
➢Ituprootscaneplants,whichresultsinpoorratooncrop.

21. Windrow harvest system:
➢Inthissystem,sugarcaneiscutandwindrowed.
➢Ithastwocircularhorizontalbladesspacedat
152.4cm.
➢Themachinecutsthecaneinthefieldandmakes
awindrowoftworows.Thecropharvestedbythis
machinehasalsoaveryhighpercentageoftrash.
➢Theunitismountedonatrack-typetractor.
➢Thefrontendofthemachinecanberaisedor
loweredhydraulicallyfortransportandfield
operations.
➢Theeffectivefieldcapacityofthemachineis
about0.8ha/h

22. Soldier-type cane harvester
Topsthecane,cutsthecanefrombaseandplacesinwindrowformechanical
loading.Itcutsonerowofgreencaneatatime.
Atopperwithagatheringchainandtwodiscsremovethetopfromstandingcrop
anddroptowardsrightofrowbeingharvested.
Twosetsofpick-upchainsarrangedinaVareusedforpickingandfeedingthe
canetothebasecutter.
Theharvestedcaneisconveyedthroughacaneconveyingsystemtothe
windrow.
Boththeoperationsoftoppingandbasecuttingareperformedsimultaneously.
Itdoesnotuprootthecaneanditscapacityisabout0.4ha/h

23. McConnelsugarcane harvesting
system:
➢Inthissystem,themachineismountedon
atractorof75-90hp.
➢Themachinecutsthetopgreenportionof
sugarcane,harvestsfromthebase,cleans
thecaneandplacesinawindrow.
➢Thecaneisfurthercleanedbylabourand
loadedmanuallyormechanicallyinthe
truck.
➢Itharvestsonerowatatime.

24. Mini Sugarcane Harvester
Minisugarcaneharvesterusuallyis
self-propelsugarcaneharvesteror
connectedwithtractors.
Ithasfunctionsofpickingupfallen
sugarcane,cuttingandpavingthe
stalk.
Minisugarcaneharvestercanadapt
todifferentlandforms.

25. Components of Mini Harvester

26. Cont..
➢It can reap and pave sugarcanes neatly in various nature state such as fallen
sugarcanes.
➢Use advanced hydraulic control systems so that the machine can be adjusted
according to different field conditions.
➢With small size, light weight which makes the machine more flexible on the field.
➢The knife can cut deep into 20-30 mm soil layer, so the damaged rate is lower.
➢With low oil consumption. The oil consumption of this machine is less than 0.15kg
per hour

27. Features of Mini Sugarcane Harvester

28. IISR LucknowCane Harvester
IISRhasdevelopedtractor
frontmounted
Sugarcanewindrowerwhole
stalkharvester.
Withthisharvester,tworows
canbecutsimultaneously
andwindrowedatthecentre
oftherows

29. Manual Harvesting Tools

30. Sugarcane stripper
Thestripperconsistofapairoftongs.
thejawofwhichcloseformasquareand
extendedbyonthesquareformaVinthefront.
Thecaneisgrippedbetweenjawsofthetooland
drawndownward.
Alldryleafsheathsgetdetachedthereby.
Whereasthegreentopiscutinthelastwiththe
knifeprovidedonthestripper.
Itishandoperatedandcancleanabout500plants
inanhour.

31. Mechanical Vs. Manual Harvesting

32. Mechanical Vs. Manual Harvesting
Manualharvestingisdonemanuallyusingvarioustypesofhandknivesorhandaxes.
Amongtheseveraltoolsthecuttingbladeisusuallyheavierandfacilitateseasierand
efficientcuttingofcane.
Manualharvestingrequiresskilledlaboursasimproperharvestofcaneleadstolossof
cane&sugaryield,poorjuicequalityandproblemsinmillingduetoextraneousmatter.
MechanicalHarvestinglabourisbecomingscarceandcostlyinviewofdiversionof
labourtootherremunerativeworkinindustry,construction,businessetc.
Millstoppagesbecauseofnon-availabilityofcanesarenotuncommon owingto
shortageofharvestinglabour.
And,mostofthenewmillsareofhighercrushingcapacityandmanyareexpanding
theircrushingcapacities.Thereforedailyrequirementofcaneisincreasingandhence
greaterdemandforharvestinglabour.

33. Disadvantages of Harvesting Method
MANUALHARVESTING:
Harvestingtimewillbemore
Efficientworkisnotdone
Thecostwillbemore
Shortageoflabour
MECHANIZEDHARVESTING:
➢Thecostofthemachineishigh
➢Themachineismeantforlargescalefarms
➢Requiresskilledlabourtooperate

34. References
E-course,FarmMachinery and Equipment-II
International Journal of Engineering Research and General Science Volume 3, Issue 4,
July-August, 2015
Mechanization of Sugarcane Cultivation in India Singh, J., Singh, A.K., Sharma, M.P. et al.
Sugar Tech (2011) 13: 310. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12355-011-0101-5
Principle of agricultural engineering Volume –I TP Ojha
Sugarcane harvester technology: A critical overview, Applied engineering in agriculture ·
October 2014.
www.google.com