ENERGY PERFORMANCE IN DISC HARROWING OPERATION IN DIFFERENT GRADIENTS AND GAUGES

ABSTRACT The operational performance of the agricultural tractor can be increased by adjusting parameters such as tire inflation pressure, axle mass distribution and gauge opening, which is a very divergent factor in controlled-traffic production. The objective of the experiment was to measure the energy performance of a 93 kW agricultural tractor in intermediate grading operation in two slopes (flat and sloping) and three gauge configurations (closed, intermediate and open) in mobilized soil. Energy performance was determined from the following parameters: slip, engine speed, actual effective speed, hourly and specific fuel consumption; strength, power and performance on the drawbar. Turbo pressure and temperature monitoring was also performed at six different engine points. The experiment was conducted in double factorial arrangement (2 slopes and 3 gauges), with four replications, totaling 24 plots. Data were analyzed for normality and homoscedasticity of the residues, after ANOVA and when significant, the means test. Tilts and tire gauges did not differ statistically, so it can be concluded that depending on the operation do not interfere with operating performance.