‫بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم‬

UNIVERSITY OF HAIL
APPLIED COLLEGE
Agricultural Machinery
Lecture 1
By:
FARM POWER
Ust.Khalid Mubasher

2022-2023 1
 What is Agricultural Engineering
It is the application of engineering principles to any
process associated with producing agriculturally based
goods and management of natural resources.
 It is concerned with the envelopment of labour saving
farm machines, farm power, irrigation and drainage
systems.
 It include processes for preserving and converting
agricultural produce to useful food, feed and fiber
products
 Agricultural Engineering is a science on its own 2
 FARM POWER
 Farm Power is an essential input in agriculture, for
timely field operations for increasing production
and productivity of land.
 Farm power is used for operating different types of
machinery like tillage, planting, plant protection,
harvesting and threshing machinery and other
stationary jobs like operating irrigation equipment,
threshers/ shellers / cleaners/ graders, etc.

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 SOURCES OF FARM POWER AND
MECHANIZATION
Various types of agricultural operations performed on
a farm can be broadly classified as:
1. Tractive work such as seed bed preparation,
cultivation, harvesting and transportation.
2. Stationary work like silage cutting, feed grinding,
threshing, winnowing and lifting of irrigation water.

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These operations are performed by different sources
of power namely, human, animal, stationary engine,
tractor, power tiller, electricity, solar and wind. For
doing these operations different types of power
available is classified as:
1. Human power
2. Animal power
3. Mechanical power
4. Electrical power
5. Wind power
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 HUMAN POWER
Human power is the main source for operating
small implements and tools at the farm.
Stationary work like chaff cutting, lifting water,
threshing, winnowing are also done by manual
labour.
 An average man can develop maximum power
of about 0.1 hp for doing farm work.
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 HUMAN POWER

Paddy transplanting weeding Paddy Nursery collection

weeding
Winnowing
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 ANIMAL POWER
• Power developed by an average pair of bullocks
about 1 hp for usual farm work.
• Bullocks are employed for all types farm work in all
seasons.
• Besides bullocks, other animals like camels,
buffaloes, horses, donkeys, mules and elephants
are also used at some places.
• The average force a draft animal can exert is nearly
one-tenth of its body weight. 8
ANIMAL POWER

Bullock cart Persian wheel-

water lifting

Ploughing a land
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 Mechanical power includes stationary oil engines,
MECHANICAL POWER

tractors , power tillers and self propelled

combines.
 Internal combustion engine is a good device for
converting liquid fuel into useful work(mechanical
work). These engines are two types
 (1) Spark ignition engines (Petrol or Kerosene
engine)
 (2) Compression ignition engines (Diesel engines
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 The thermal efficiency of diesel engine varies
from 32 to 38 per cent whereas that of petrol
engine varies from 25 to 32 per cent.
 In modern days, almost all the tractors and
power tillers are operated by diesel engines.
 Diesel engines are used for operating irrigation
pumps, flour mills, oil ghanis, cotton gins, chaff
cutter, sugarcane crusher, threshers, winnowers
etc

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Four stroke Engine + Pump Two stroke engine
Two stroke engine ( SI engine)

Eighteen cylinder two

stroke engine Thresher Thresher
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Different types of tractors

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Power tillers

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 ELECTRICAL POWER
 Electrical power is used mostly in the form of
electrical motors on the farms. Motor is a very useful
machine for farmers. It is clean, quest and smooth
running. Its maintenance and operation needs less
attention and care. The operating cost remains almost
constant throughout its life
 Electrical power is used for water pumping, diary
industry, cold storage, farm product processing, fruit
industry and many similar things.
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ELECTRICAL POWER

Electric motors
 

Chaff cutter
Electric motor + pump
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 RENEWABLE ENERGY
 It is the energy mainly obtained from renewable sources
of energy like sun, wind, biomass .
 Biogas energy, wind energy and solar energy are used in
agriculture and domestic purposes with suitable devices.
 Renewable energy can be used for lighting, cooking,
water heating, space heating, water distillation, food
processing, water pumping, and electric generation.
 This type of energy is inexhaustible in nature.
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RENEWABLE ENERGY

Different applications of solar energy

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RENEWABLE ENERGY

Solar electric pane Grid connected solar energy

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RENEWABLE ENERGY

Biogas plants

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 Usage of renewable energy sources
Solar energy- Solar dryers, lantern, cooker, solar still,
solar refrigeration, solar lighting etc
Wind energy- Water pumping, electricity generation
etc.
Biomass energy- Gasifies to produce producer gas,
pyrolysis to produce liquid fuels, Biogas etc
Tidal energy – electricity generation
Geothermal energy- Heat and electricity production
 
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Advantages and Disadvantages different farm
power sources
Advantages Disadvantages
Human Power
1. Easily available. 1.Costliest power compared to all other forms of
power.
2. Used for all types of work. 2. Very low efficiency.
3. Requires full maintenance when not in use.

4. Affected by weather condition and seasons

Animal Power
1. Easily available. 1.Not very efficient.
2. Used for all types of work. 2. Seasons and weather affect the efficiency.
3.Low initial investment. 3. Cannot work at a stretch.
4.Supplies manures to the field and fuelsto farmers. 4. Requires full maintenance when not in use.

5. Creates unhealthy and dirty atmosphere near

5.Lives on farm products. the residence.

6. Very slow in doing work.

Mechanical Power
1. Efficiency is high. 1.Initial capital investment high.

2. Not affected by weather . 2. Fuel is costly.

3. Repairs and maintenance needs technical
3.Cannot run at a stretch. knowledge.

4.Requires less space.

5.Cheaper form of power.

Electrical Power
1. Very cheap form of power. 1.Initial capital investment high.
2. High efficiency. 2. Requires good amount of technical knowledge.
3.Can work at a stretch. 3. If handled carelessly, it causes great danger.
4.Maintenance and operating cost is
very low.
5.Not affected by seasons.
Concept of Farm Mechanization
• The main concept of farm mechanization is to apply
the principles of engineering and technology to do the
agricultural operations in a better way to increase
crop yield. This includes the development, application
and management of all mechanical aids for field
operation, water control, material handling, storage
and processing. Mechanical aids includewww. hand
tools, animal drawn implements, power tillers,
tractors, engines, electric motors, grain processing
and hauling equipments.
 SCOPE OF FARM MECHANIZATION
• Improved irrigation facilities, introduction of high yielding
varieties. use of higher doses of fertilizers and pesticides
have increased the scope for greater farm mechanization
Farm mechanization helps for proper utilization of basic
inputs like water, seed and fertilizer, optimum placement
of the seed and fertilizer, ploughing, removal of weeds,
leveling of uneven land and land reclamation. If machines
are used farmer and his animals are relieved of hard work.
With the support of machines farmer can do his job better
and quicker. He will get more leisure and devote his time
to other works. He can earn better living.
BENEFITS OF FARM
MECHANIZATION
• 1. Timeliness of operation
• 2. Precision of operation
• 3. Improvement of work environment.
• 4. Enhancement of safety
• 5. Reduction of drudgery of labour
• 6. Reduction of loss of crops and food products
• 7. Increased productivity of land
• 8. Increased economic return to farmer
• 9. Improved dignity of farmer
• 10. Progress and prosperity in rural areas
 CONSTRAINTS IN FARM MECHANISATION
(LIMITING FACTORS IN FARM MECHANIZATION)
1. Small land holdings
2. Less investing capacity of farmers
3. Adequate availability of draft animals
4. Lack of suitable farm machine for different operations
5. Lack of repair and servicing facilities for machines
6. Lack of trained man power
7. Lack of coordination between research organization and
manufacturer
8. High cost of machines
9. Inadequate quality control of machine