Development and Test of a Self-Propelled Peanut Combine Harvester for Hilly and Mountainous Regions

Addressing the issue of complex terrain and small field plots in hilly and mountainous regions where large combine harvesters are not suitable, this paper presented the design and development of a semi-feed self-propelled peanut combine harvester. This harvester is characterized by its small size and flexible steering. Theoretical calculations were used to determine the structural parameters of the main working components. A three-factor, three-level orthogonal experimental design was implemented, focusing on forward speed, vibration frequency and picking roller rotational speed, as these parameters significantly influence operational performance. Through this experiment, regression models were established between the total loss rate, the broken pod rate, and these three above mentioned factors. Through multi-objective optimization, it was found that when the forward speed is 0.44 m/s, the picking roller rotational speed is 350 rpm, and the vibration frequency is 6.4 Hz, the total loss rate and broken pods rate of the harvester are the lowest. Validation experiments were conducted under this parameter combination, with the total loss rate and broken pods rate being effectively reduced to 3.21% and 0.85%, respectively. The experiments proved that this harvester meets the requirements for mechanized peanut harvesting in hilly and mountainous regions.