DEVELOPMENT OF OFF-SEASON AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGIES FOR ENERGY SAVING IN THE OPERATION OF MULTI-SUPPORT WIDE-AREA SPRINKLER EQUIPMENT

The article considers the urgent problem of reducing soil deformation during the operation of wide-range circular sprinkler machines, which are the main technical means of irrigation in the Russian Federation. Using the example of machines of the type "Frigate" and "Kuban-LK1", it is shown that repeated passage of wheel bearings along one track during the irrigation season leads to the formation of a deep track (up to 300...350 mm), a decrease in the filtration properties of the soil and degradation of its structure. Traditional approaches based on increasing the area of the contact spot of the propellers do not provide the required effect, and plowing areas at the end of the season does not eliminate the effects of deformation. As a promising solution, a technology has been proposed that combines the use of a disk leveling device to fill a technological track with soil and off-season (pre-winter) preparation of the movement surface using multiple freeze-thaw cycles in waterlogged conditions. Experimental studies were performed on medium-loamy soils of JSC Ozery in the Moscow region using a laboratory installation including a measuring cone with a base diameter of 15 mm and an angle at the apex of 30 °. The criterion for the bearing capacity of the soil was the specific pressure corresponding to the complete immersion of the cone. It was found that five freeze-thaw cycles provide an increase in soil density by approximately 20% and an increase in bearing capacity when dried to a humidity of 10% by 25% compared to the summer version (without freezing). When modeling irrigation with a rate of 500 m3/ha (50 mm) by layer-by-layer addition of water, a decrease in the bearing capacity was found for a summer sample from 1010...1020 kPa to 330...340 kPa, whereas for a sample subjected to five freeze-thaw cycles, this indicator decreases from 1250 kPa to 530...540 kPa. Thus, the proposed technology makes it possible to increase the permissible specific pressure on the soil during irrigation by 1.59...1.61 times relative to the basic version and by 6.62...6.75 times relative to the serial standard of 80 kPa. Practical significance: increasing the permissible specific pressure to 530...540 kPa makes it possible to reduce the profile width of the wheel thrusters by 20... 25%, reduce the metal consumption of the chassis and reduce energy consumption for movement by 8... 12% per season. The technology does not require major modernization of the machines – only the rules of operation and off-season maintenance are being changed. The recommended method can be used for irrigation of areas occupied by perennial grasses, as well as for off-season surface preparation for the movement of wide-range multi-support sprinkler equipment. The implementation of the proposed technology helps to preserve soil fertility, reduce the depth of residual deformation and reduce the environmental consequences during the operation of sprinklers.