Development of a Simple Tool Provided with a Sensor for Harvesting Citrus Fruits

Abstract

The present paper aims to develop a simple tool provided with a sensor to be used for harvesting citrus fruits. The developed harvesting tool consists of telescopic tubes, a harvesting device provided with a sensor, a dry battery, a fruit tube and a collection basket. The developed tool was based on validating the correct stem-cutting position, safeguarding the fruits from harm, and preventing the fruits from down via the fruit tube. Two types of fruit trees were used. In order to better understand how certain operating parameters affect the performance of the proposed harvesting tool, experiments were carried out. These parameters are: cutting disc speeds of 9.81, 13.74, 17.66 and 21.59 m/sec and cutting disc teeth numbers of 60, 80 and 100 teeth. The developed harvesting tool was assessed in terms of the following: consumed power, energy requirements, total fruit losses, harvesting cost, and productivity of the harvesting instrument. According to the trial findings, the Washington navel orange and Sour orange had the highest values of harvesting tool productivity and efficiency at 285 and 315 kg/h and 96.0 and 97.5%, respectively. While the lowest level required power and the specific energy values were 36. 10 W and 35. 02 and 0. 125 W h/Mg for the previously mentioned two types. The lowest values of harvesting cost are 42.80 and 38.72 "EGP/Mg for the same mentioned two types of fruits.