Subtopic: Functional requirements, principles of working, construction and operation of manual, animal, tractor and renewable energy operated equipment for tillage, sowing, planting, fertilizer application, inter-cultivation, spraying, mowing, chaff cutting, harvesting and threshing
Question Statement:
A sugarcane planter meters setts using a conveyor with pockets spaced $30\text{ cm}$ apart. The forward travel speed of the planter is $2.4\text{ km/h}$. For a desired sett spacing of $60\text{ cm}$ along the furrow, calculate the required linear speed of the sett metering conveyor in $\text{m/s}$.
Answer Key:
0.333
Step-by-Step Solution & Explanation
Forward speed $v_f = 2.4\text{ km/h} = \frac{2.4}{3.6} = 0.6667\text{ m/s}$.
Desired spacing between setts along furrow $S_f = 0.60\text{ m}$.
Time interval between consecutive sett drops:
$\Delta t = \frac{S_f}{v_f} = \frac{0.60}{0.6667} = 0.90\text{ s}$
Distance between pockets on conveyor $S_c = 0.30\text{ m}$.
Conveyor velocity:
$v_c = \frac{S_c}{\Delta t} = \frac{0.30\text{ m}}{0.90\text{ s}} = 0.333\text{ m/s}$