Energetic Aspects of Turfgrass Mowing: Comparison of Different Rotary Mowing Systems

Michel Pirchio, Marco Fontanelli, Fabio Labanca, Mino Sportelli, Christian Frasconi, Luisa Martelloni, Michele Raffaelli, Andrea Peruzzi, Monica Gaetani, Simone Magni, Lisa Caturegli, Marco Volterrani and Nicola Grossi
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Michel Pirchio: Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Marco Fontanelli: Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Fabio Labanca: Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Mino Sportelli: Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Christian Frasconi: Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Luisa Martelloni: Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Michele Raffaelli: Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Andrea Peruzzi: Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Monica Gaetani: Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Simone Magni: Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Lisa Caturegli: Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Marco Volterrani: Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Nicola Grossi: Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy

Agriculture, 2019, vol. 9, issue 8, 1-6

Abstract: Turfgrass mowing is one of the most important operations concerning turfgrass maintenance. Over time, different mowing machines have been developed, such as reel mowers, rotary mowers, and flail mowers. Rotary mowers have become the most widespread mowers for their great versatility and easy maintenance. Modern rotary mowers can be equipped with battery-powered electric motors and precise settings, such as blade rpm. The aim of this trial was to evaluate the differences in power consumption of a gasoline-powered rotary mower and a battery-powered rotary mower. Each mower worked on two different turfgrass species (bermudagrass and tall fescue) fertilized with two different nitrogen rates (100 and 200 kg ha −1 ). The battery-powered mower was set at its lowest and highest blade rpm value, while the gasoline-powered mower was set at full throttle. From the data acquired, it was possible to see that the gasoline-powered mower had a much higher primary energy requirement, independent of the turf species. Moreover, comparing the electricity consumption of the battery-powered mower over time, it was possible to see that the power consumption varied according to the growth rate of both turf species. These results show that there is a partial waste of energy when using a gasoline-powered mower compared to a battery-powered mower.

Keywords: rotary mowing; mower comparison; energy saving (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: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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