Theoretical Justification of the Parameters of a Rotary Loosening Blade for Inter-row Tillage in Potato Cultivation

In potato cultivation, mechanical inter-row tillage plays an important role in loosening the soil, eliminating weeds, crushing soil clods, and creating favorable soil conditions for the development of the plant root system. The effectiveness of inter-row tillage largely depends on the geometric and kinematic parameters of the working tools and their interaction with the soil. The aim of this study is to theoretically substantiate the main geometric and kinematic parameters of a rotary loosening blade designed for inter-row tillage in potato cultivation. The study analyzes the principal geometric parameters of the rotary blade, including the bending angle, lateral angle, bending line angle, tangential edge height, bending radius, rotational radius, working width, and cutting-edge characteristics. For the theoretical analysis, the rotational radius of the rotary loosener was assumed to be 0.17 m, with four blades mounted on one side of the disc. The blade wing length was taken as 0.07 m, while the sharpening angle of the cutting edge was set at 30°. Based on the obtained theoretical relationships, the main kinematic parameters of the rotary loosener were determined for different operating conditions. At a rotor rotational speed of 120–140 rpm, the corresponding angular velocity was calculated as 12.57–14.66 rad/s, while the peripheral velocity of the blade tip ranged from 2.14 to 2.49 m/s. At an aggregate travel speed of 3–5 km/h, the kinematic operating mode coefficient varied from 1.54 to 2.99. The obtained results provide a theoretical basis for selecting appropriate geometric and kinematic parameters of rotary loosening blades and can be used in the design and improvement of mechanical inter-row tillage equipment for potato cultivation.