Simulação numérica aplicada ao corte basal dos colmos de cana-de-açúcar

Abstract

Brazil is the largest producer of sugarcane in the world. In 2019, it was produced 34.1 million tons of sugar and 31.7 billion liters of ethanol. Due to inscreasing demand for products fromsugarcane and environmental restrictions, the mechanization of the harvesting process was thesolution to the problem. However, there are few studies aimed to understand the process ofmechanized harvesting performed by harvesters and the failures in the cutting process. The finite element method is a useful tool for understanding events that occur in a short time. Basedon that, a basal cutting of the sugarcane culm was simulated considering the sugarcane as aanisotropic and heterogeneous (rind and pulp) material. In the study was used the mechanicalproperties of RB966928 sugarcane, because is the most common variety in southeastern brazil.The boundary conditions adopted in the simulation of the basal cutting of sugarcane culm wererotation speed of 640 rpm and cutting angle of 0 degree. Maximum stress reached for sugarcanecutting were 24.11 MPa at the rind and 10.29 MPa at the pulp. Compared to studies found inthe literature with different conditions, stresses results presented difference around 30%, andthe cutting angle was the factor that most influenced in the stress values.