Toward Sustainable Mechanization of Peanut Harvesting: Finite Element Analysis and Field Verification of a Composite Soil Cleaning Device for Use in Clay Soil

Targeting the problems of low reliability and cleaning quality during the soil cleaning process of semi-feed peanut combine harvesters under clay soil conditions, a composite soil cleaning device with “up-and-down flapping and lateral rotation” was designed. To prevent strength failure within the device, finite element static analysis, explicit dynamic simulation and modal analysis were conducted. The rationality and reliability of the structural design of the two soil cleaning devices (the up-and-down flapping type and the lateral rotation type) were verified. The simulation results show that the maximum static and dynamic stresses of the up-and-down flapping-type soil cleaning device are far lower than the material yield strength. Even under extreme impact loads from hard impurities such as stones or roots, it still maintains elastic deformation and avoids permanent failure due to plastic deformation. The maximum stress of the lateral rotary-type soil cleaning device is also far below the material yield limit. Its dynamic characteristics meet the requirements posed by the extreme working conditions in the field, and its natural frequency lies outside the vibration range experienced under working conditions, demonstrating its excellent vibration resistance performance. Meanwhile, reliability assessments and cleaning quality measurements were carried out on the device. The test results show that the soil cleaning device can meet the structural strength requirements for semi-feed peanut combined harvesting under clay soil conditions. The soil cleaning device improves the sustainability of peanut production in terms of energy consumption, soil conservation, and economic viability. These research results provide technical support for peanut harvesting and the sustainable development of the peanut industry.