Combine harvesters experience the risk of falling accidents owing to the rapidly changing pitching posture during loading and unloading of trucks and when entering and leaving the field. In this study, a dynamic model of traveling behavior for a combine harvester with four degrees of freedom (vertical, pitching, rolling, and anteroposterior direction) was developed. In addition, the model was simulated for travel on various rigid slopes. It was found that the combine harvester runs the risk of falling accidents in the forward descend mode when entering the field, and the backward ascend mode when leaving slope. To prevent falling, it is necessary to travel at a maximum slope angle and traveling speed of 23° and 0.25 m/s, respectively.

We developed calibration models for available silicate, free iron oxide, and exchangeable sodium in paddy fields, using subsurface diffuse reflectance spectra obtained by a tractor - mounted soil analyzing system. The calibration model estimation applied 2nd derivative pretreatment and partial least squares regression. The respective calibration model estimation accuracies for available silicate, free iron oxide, and exchangeable sodium showed coefficients of determination greater than 0.90 and residual prediction deviations greater than 3.0. The results confirmed sufficient model estimation accuracy, in the case of each soil property, for the preparation of useful soil maps. Diffuse reflectance spectra of fresh soils showed that further calibration models could be analyzed.

Biomass is one of the major choices for alternative energy sources. However, the drawbacks of raw biomass, including high moisture content, limit its use. Thus, pretreatment is necessary and torrefaction has emerged as an important step for upgrading biomass. In this study, torrefaction in an industrial rotary kiln combustion type reactor was investigated at three different temperatures (200°C, 250°C and 300°C) using fresh dairy manure with 84.1 % moisture content. The results showed that fresh dairy manure must be heat-treated four times at 200°C, but only three times at 250°C and 300°C due to the longer time for torrefaction at the lower temperature. Mass yield, moisture content, ash-free solid and HHV of torrefied dairy manure were reduced at each sequential heat treatment at every temperature. The production efficiency was higher at 300°C due to less energy consumption and shorter torrefaction time.

This study aims to minimize the effects of environmental conditions on engine performance in order to improve the accuracy of performance tests. We investigated the effects of the fuel temperature and atmospheric factor and as well as of maintaining atmospheric factor constant on the performance and emission gases of common-rail diesel engines equipped with a diesel oxidation catalyst and diesel particulate filter. The result showed that variations in the atmospheric factor influence the engine power and specific fuel consumption. Moreover, we found that the variations in the test results of the engine power and specific fuel consumption can be reduced by maintaining the atmospheric factor constant.