Mechanization in agriculture & Conserving of the resources
Vol. 69 (2025), Issue 4

Table of Contents

  • MECHANIZATION IN AGRICULTURE

    • Modeling the Shaking Process of a Walnut Tree:

      pg(s) 95-98

      The results of a study of the shaking process of a walnut tree are presented. Shakers used in harvesting machines are specialized equipment that is attached to the tree trunk and generates controlled vibrations, causing the fruit to fall to the ground or into special catching devices. Thus, universal shakers for various types of nuts, including walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts, ensure fast and uniform harvesting without significant damage to the trees. When harvesting nuts by shaking, the dynamic properties of the trees are important. Therefore, it is necessary to calculate the natural frequency of the system’s oscillations, and it plays a key role in the occurrence of the resonance effect.Thus, during the shaking process, the natural frequency of the system includes the tree and other elements interacting with it, which makes it possible to determine the optimal operating modes of the vibrators to ensure the required completeness of fruit removal with the least energy expenditure. For this purpose, the Euler-Bernoulli theory is used, according to which, when solving a dynamic equation for specific fastening conditions, the natural frequencies and corresponding vibration modes are determined, at which the beam oscillates without external forces.

    • Research on a flexible sectional screw working body for recycling damaged soil from the middle of a crater

      pg(s) 98-100

      The article presents, based on research into the impact of military operations on agricultural soils, the design of a flexible screw sectional working body, which will allow to increase the functional and operational characteristics of screw conveyors during the disposal of the removed contaminated soil layer. For the research, an experimental setup was developed and manufactured, with the help of which the torque on the drive of the flexible screw conveyor was determined. Based on the results of the research, graphical dependences of the change in the value of the torque Т on the frequency of rotation of the drive shaft of the working body n, on the radius of curvature Rк of the technological line and on the height h of movement when the technological line is completely filled with loose cleaned damaged soil from the middle of the crater are constructed. The obtained research results make it possible to choose the optimal design, kinematic and technological parameters of the developed screw sectional working body for transporting loose cleaned damaged soil from the middle of the crater.

    • Determination of Resonance Parameters for Vibratory Machine Drives with Inertial and Kinematic Excitation

      pg(s) 101-103

      This article presents the general solution to the differential equations of motion for vibratory drives with both inertial and kinematic excitation in the first approximation during the passage through the resonance zone. Expressions for the maximum resonant amplitudes and the corresponding values of the phase and frequency were determined. An analysis of the resulting expressions is provided for the characteristic periods of acceleration and deceleration. The necessity of utilizing coupled dynamic models is underscored by the inherent instability observed in traditional simplified systems when operating beyond the natural frequency.

  • CONSERVING OF THE RESOURCES

    • Alleviating negative impacts of drought on water resources, agriculture and environment in Konya closed basin

      pg(s) 104-107

      Water scarcity is a global phenomenon and is described as a marked decrease in precipitation, relative to the historical average, over a period of time. The negative consequences of drought are far worse than the positive outcomes. The Konya Closed Basin (KCB), characterized by a semi-arid climate zone, has been among the worst-affected regions in the last several decades. There have been reports of surface water bodies (e.g., Beyşehir Lake, Altınapa Dam) in the KCB declining in water levels. There has been a sustainable supply of water over the last two years of the drought period, and in the case of Beyşehir Lake and Altınapa Dam, which are the two largest surface water storage bodies on the Konya Plain, the water levels have fallen below usable levels, causing larger implications for the agricultural settings and aquatic environment. Therefore, increasing reliance on groundwater supplies has steadily worsened aquifer depletion and general declines in well yields across the KCB. In particular, excessive groundwater use has led to the formation of many sinkholes across the KCB, with a higher incidence of occurrence in the Konya-Karapınar district, termed the desert of Türkiye. After experiencing recurrent and severe drought conditions, agricultural farmers growing high water-consuming crops like alfalfa, maize, and sugar beet on their farming systems often showed higher economic returns on these crops, so that these farmers selected to grow these crops rather than consider the issue of water availability. Thus, financial mechanisms need to be established to incentivize the production of cereals with low water demand to relieve drought-related pressures. Moreover, it is also important for soil protection to convert land to drought-resistant crops, shrubs, and trees. Lastly, large-scale application of pressurized irrigation techniques, particularly using sprinklers and drip irrigation, is necessary to improve water use efficiency under constrained conditions.

    • Prototype of a SMFC-based biosensor for real-time monitoring of heavy metals polluted water

      pg(s) 108-111

      Timely detection and treatment of water pollution is of utmost importance for preventing serious environmental pollution and toxicity to living organisms. Traditional monitoring methods require time for sampling and analysis, and those that provide real-time monitoring are expensive and have limited application. The development of a low-cost sensor for real-time water monitoring will enable wider application and quality management of more water bodies. Guided by this, we constructed and tested a prototype of a biosensor based on a sediment microbial fuel cell. The sensor showed high efficiency and sensitivity to the most common heavy metals pollutants from industrial, agricultural and domestic wastewater. The sensor is designed for both portable and desktop applications, as well as for integration into the technological schemes of enterprises for continuous monitoring.

    • Soil pollution: pollutants, causes and effects

      pg(s) 115-119

      Soil is a complex heterogeneous system composed of solid, liquid and gaseous matrix, which is a key factor for terrestrial ecosystems. As an open system, it is a source or sink of many substances, including pollutants. Pollutants in soils can be of natural or anthropogenic origin, which are generally divided into two main groups: organic and inorganic pollutants. The report is prepared on the basis of scientific literature and is entirely aimed at clarifying the sources, impact and effects of persistent organic compounds. For this purpose, 32 scientific articles available in ResearchGate, Scholar and ScienceDirect were studied. Attention is focused on them, as they are considered a global environmental problem due to their persistence, potential for bioaccumulation, toxicity, carcinogenic and mutagenic potential.

    • Selective polymer materials for iron speciation in surface waters

      pg(s) 120-123

      Iron in surface waters occurs in a variety of physical and chemical forms, each exhibiting distinct reactivity and environmental behaviour. To advance the understanding of how individual biogeochemical processes interact and how aquatic ecosystems respond to shifts in iron speciation, it is essential to establish reliable analytical approaches. In this context, the development of a procedure capable of determining the most reactive and kinetically labile fractions of Fe(II) and Fe(III) represents a timely and significant challenge in contemporary environmental analytical chemistry.

    • Synthesis of Carbon Adsorbents with Potential Application for Water Purification for Environmental Protection

      pg(s) 123-124

      Carbon adsorbents were synthesized from waste biomass through controlled carbonization and activation processes, aiming to develop sustainable materials for environmental applications. The produced carbons exhibited a well-developed porous structure and high specific surface area, as confirmed by textural characterization. These structural features contributed to enhanced adsorption capacities toward various water pollutants, including dyes, heavy metals, and organic contaminants. The adsorption mechanisms were mainly governed by surface interactions and pore diffusion, indicating strong affinity between the adsorbents and the target molecules. The use of renewable biomass as a precursor not only reduces production costs but also supports waste valorization and circular economy principles. Overall, the synthesized carbon materials demonstrate significant potential as efficient, low-cost, and environmentally friendly adsorbents for water purification and protection of aquatic ecosystems.