ANALYSIS OF STRUCTURES OF WORKING BODIES OF GRANULATED FERTILIZER SPREADERS
The introduction of granular fertilizers is the most convenient way of enriching the soil with nutrients for plant growing agricultural enterprises. The design of fertilizer spreaders for surface main application and top dressing is considered. The analysis of the designs of distributors of domestic and foreign production is carried out, the advantages and disadvantages of the scattering working bodies used at present are revealed. The requests of both large agricultural holdings and small peasant (farmer) farms are answered in the form of trailed or mounted machines. The hinged design is most convenient for small agricultural enterprises. It is noted that with an uneven distribution equal to 20 %, the loss of grain yield is 0,6 - 11,5 %. One of the most promising options for increasing the performance of granular fertilizer spreaders is the use of volumetric hoppers. Many modern studies on the development of designs of disc spreaders for mineral fertilizers are also aimed at ensuring the safety of granules. The decisive factors influencing the choice of the type of spreader for agricultural producers are such as the area of the fields, the distance from the fertilizer warehouse to the working areas, the features of the application technology, as well as the amount of fertilizer applied. Prospects for the development of machines for applying fertilizers, including taking into account the developments of the Kursk State Agricultural Academy, are indicated. The directions of further developments in the field of improving the designs of distributors and eliminating existing shortcomings have been determined.