Performance Comparison and Evaluation of Two Small Chili Pepper Harvester Prototypes That Attach to Walking Cultivators

Abstract

Two prototypes of small chili pepper harvesters that attach to walking cultivators were designed and manufactured before field performance tests were conducted. The two prototypes were designed and manufactured with different main frame materials, forms of divider, picking guides, and helix rotation speeds. The maximum helix speed of the first prototype was 500 rpm, and the helix rotation speeds of the second prototype were a minimum of 510 rpm and a maximum of 730 rpm. Field performance tests were conducted on two species of chili, the AR Legend and the Jeokyoung, to determine which was suitable for mechanization. The Jeokyoung species was found to be most suitable for mechanization as its harvest efficiency was higher and its pepper left on plant rate and ground fall loss rate were lower than AR Legend’s. When the first and second prototypes were compared at helix rotation speeds of 500 to 510 rpm, in the case of the AR Legend, the average harvest efficiency of the second prototype was higher than the first prototype by 2.2%, the average pepper left on plant rate was lower by 2.1%, and the average ground fall loss rate was lower by 3.9%. In the case of the Jeokyoung, the performance of the second prototype was further improved over the first prototype as the average harvest efficiency increased to 5.2%, and the difference in average ground fall loss rate increased to 8.8%.