Effect of Wire Loop Spacing, Tip Height and Threshing Drum Speed on Threshing Performance of Pedal Operated VL Paddy Thresher

Abstract

A pedal operated paddy thresher (VL Paddy thresher) was designed and developed at VPKAS. Almora. Uttrakhand. Polycarbonate sheet was used which reduced the weight (30%) as well as noise level (5%) of the thresher. It is equipped with an adjustable seat and also its height can be adjusted according to the need of the operators. The performance of the thresher was evaluated for three levels each of wire loop spacing and wire loop tip height and two levels of threshing drum speed. The best threshing performance (threshing capacity and threshing efficiency) of VL paddy thresher was obtained at 0.040 m wire loop spacing, 0.060 m tip height and 7.3 m/s threshing drum speed. The machine parameters set for the highest threshing performance were further tested for 5 hill varieties of rice namely VL-61, Thapa Chini, China-4, VL-62 and VL-85. Test results indicated that the machine performed best with rice variety VL-61 (Threshing capacity=100.9 kg/h, Threshing efficiency =98.7 %). One man can easily operate the thresher. This machine is getting overwhelming response among hill farmers. VPKAS, Almora has sold more than 500 machines to hill farmers.