• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.331-336
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• 2001

This study was to develop a kerosene flame weeder. An air compressor was driven though the PTO of a tractor to provide necessary air for fuel combustion and proper pressure to supply fuel from fuel tank to the nozzle. It was found that the flame was extinguished very easily by wind and vibration of the tractor. This trouble could be solved by attaching a burner cap, which is a modified venturi tube, at the end of the nozzle. The constructed flame weeder was tested for the weeding capability in the prepared field. Weed extinction rate and weight decrease rate were analysed. Measured maximum flame temperature was 1,121$\^{C}$ when the fuel consumption was 13.41 kg/h and fuel supply pressure was 88.2 kPa. The maximum temperature occurred at 20cm from the front end the burner, and it decreased to 46$\^{C}$ as the distance increased to 110cm. The flame length of up to 70cm, where the flame temperature was higher than 372$\^{C}$, would be used for weeding purpose. Weed extinction rate and weight decreasing rate increased as the fuel consumption increased. The flame weeder was evaluated to be a practical weeder through improvement as the weed extinction rate and weight decrease rate were analysed to be 75% and 85%, respectively when the fuel consumption was 116.87kg/ha.