Optimized Design and Experimental Evaluation of a Ridging and Mulching Machine for Yellow Sand Substrate Based on the Discrete Element Method

Yi Zhu, Jingyu Bian, Wentao Li (), Jianfei Xing, Long Wang, Xufeng Wang and Can Hu
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Yi Zhu: College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China
Jingyu Bian: College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China
Wentao Li: College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China
Jianfei Xing: College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China
Long Wang: College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China
Xufeng Wang: College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China
Can Hu: College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 20, 1-36

Abstract: Conventional ridging and mulching machines struggle to perform effectively in yellow sand substrates due to their loose texture, high collapsibility, and strong fluidity, which compromise ridge stability and operational quality. To address these challenges, this study proposes the development of an integrated rotary tillage, ridging, and film-mulching machine specifically designed to meet the agronomic requirements of tomato cultivation in greenhouse environments with yellow sand substrate. Based on theoretical analysis and parameter calculations, a soil transportation model was established, and the key structural parameters—such as blade arrangement and helical shaft geometry—were determined. A discrete element method (DEM) simulation was employed to construct a contact model for the yellow sand–slag mixed substrate. A combination of single-factor experiments and Box–Behnken response surface methodology was used to investigate the effects of forward speed, shaft rotational speed, and tillage depth on ridge stability and operational performance. The simulation results indicated that a forward speed of 0.82 m·s −1 , shaft speed of 260 rpm, and tillage depth of 150 mm yielded the highest ridge stability, with an average of 95.7%. Field trials demonstrated that the ridge top width, base width, height, and spacing were 598.6 mm, 802.3 mm, 202.4 mm, and 1002.8 mm, respectively, with an average ridge stability of 94.3%, differing by only 1.4 percentage points from the simulated results. However, a quantitative traction/energy comparison with conventional equipment was not collected in this study, and we report this as a limitation. The energy consumption is estimated based on power usage and effective field capacity (EFC) under similar operating conditions. Soil firmness reached 152.1 kPa, fully satisfying the agronomic requirements for tomato cultivation. The proposed machine significantly improves operational adaptability and ridge stability in yellow sand substrate conditions, providing robust equipment support for efficient greenhouse farming.

Keywords: yellow sand substrate; ridge-forming and mulching machine; discrete element method simulation; field experiment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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