Design and experiment of the traction tiger nut combine harvester

Authors

  • Wenhui Chen 1. College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832000, Xinjiang, China; 2. Engineering Research Center for Production Mechanization of Oasis Characteristic Cash Crop, Ministry of Education, Shihezi 832000, Xinjiang, China; 3. Key Laboratory of Northwest Agricultural Equipment, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shihezi 832000, Xinjiang, China
  • Jiaming Fei 1. College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832000, Xinjiang, China; 2. Engineering Research Center for Production Mechanization of Oasis Characteristic Cash Crop, Ministry of Education, Shihezi 832000, Xinjiang, China; 3. Key Laboratory of Northwest Agricultural Equipment, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shihezi 832000, Xinjiang, China
  • Jianping Gao 1. College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832000, Xinjiang, China; 2. Engineering Research Center for Production Mechanization of Oasis Characteristic Cash Crop, Ministry of Education, Shihezi 832000, Xinjiang, China; 3. Key Laboratory of Northwest Agricultural Equipment, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shihezi 832000, Xinjiang, China
  • Za Kan 1. College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832000, Xinjiang, China; 2. Engineering Research Center for Production Mechanization of Oasis Characteristic Cash Crop, Ministry of Education, Shihezi 832000, Xinjiang, China; 3. Key Laboratory of Northwest Agricultural Equipment, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shihezi 832000, Xinjiang, China
  • Lidong Huang 4. Guilin Maike Machinery Co., Ltd, Guilin 541000, Guangxi, China
  • Hewei Meng 1. College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832000, Xinjiang, China; 3. Key Laboratory of Northwest Agricultural Equipment, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shihezi 832000, Xinjiang, China
  • Jiangtao Qi 1. College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832000, Xinjiang, China; 2. Engineering Research Center for Production Mechanization of Oasis Characteristic Cash Crop, Ministry of Education, Shihezi 832000, Xinjiang, China

Abstract

The conventional tiger nuts harvesting method suffers from several drawbacks, including low harvesting efficiency, high levels of impurities, significant loss rates, and excessive labor intensity. To address these issues, a novel operational approach of sand removal first and then separating has been introduced. A tractor-mounted tiger nuts combine harvester has been designed to perform the tasks of excavation, sand removal, and rhizome separation of tiger nut tubers in a single operation. The machine’s overall structure and operational principles are described. It then details the design of critical components, such as the combined vibration digging device, the conveying and sand removal device, the cylinder screening device, and the wind-screen cleaning device. The structural and dynamic parameters of these key components were established through an analysis of the mechanism’s motion and the material flow during the combined vibration digging, conveying sand removal, cylinder screening, and wind-screen cleaning processes. Field trials demonstrated the harvester achieved an average loss rate of 4.88%, the average impurity rate (excluding gravel content) of 7.52%, and an average digging depth of ≥12.5 cm. Throughout the testing phase, the machine operated reliably, and the results fulfilled the operational requirements for the tiger nut harvester.      

Keywords: tiger nuts; combined vibration digging device; conveying and sand removal device; cylinder screening device; wind-screen cleaning device

DOI: 10.25165/j.ijabe.20261902.9681

 

Citation: Chen W H, Fei J M, Gao J P, Kan Z, Huang L D, Meng H W, et al. Design and experiment of the traction tiger nut combine harvester. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2026; 19(2): 139–151.

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Published

2026-05-21

How to Cite

(1)
Chen, W.; Fei, J.; Gao, J.; Kan, Z.; Huang, L.; Meng, H.; Qi, J. Design and Experiment of the Traction Tiger Nut Combine Harvester. Int J Agric & Biol Eng 2026, 19, 139-151.

Issue

Vol. 19 No. 2 (2026): IJABE

Section

Power and Machinery Systems

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