Izvorni znanstveni članak
https://doi.org/10.5552/crojfe.2025.2587
Effect of Excavator Design on Performances, Costs, and Environmental Impact in Harvesting Operations
Federico Bertone
orcid.org/0009-0001-8682-921X
; Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Science University of Turin Largo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco Turin ITALY
*
Marco Manzone
; Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Science University of Turin Largo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco Turin ITALY
* Dopisni autor.
Sažetak
The harvesting of low-value trees, primarily utilized for energy production, demands heightened productivity and reduced costs, necessitating the adoption of mechanized methods. Excavators are frequently employed in mechanized harvesting due to their affordability (often being used machines) and high adaptability. However, their operation often results in tree damage when swinging the upper structure. Consequently, recent advancements have led to the development and utilization of machines with smaller footprints, primarily applied in urban settings, aiming to enhance maneuverability.
This study aimed to analyze the operational and environmental benefits of employing reduced-tail swing excavators in forestry operations in contrast to conventional tail swing excavators. In thinning operations, the productivity of the reduced-tail swing excavator surpasses that of the conventional tail swing excavator by 18.5%, accompanied by a 41.8% reduction in fuel consumption. Moreover, the reduced-tail swing excavator exhibits a 41% decrease in energy consumption, resulting in a notable 65.8% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to its conventional counterpart. Additionally, the hourly operational cost is 10% lower than that of the conventional tail excavator.
While comparing the performance of both machines in clear-cutting, the differences observed are less than 5% and deemed statistically insignificant. Hence, it can be inferred that reduced-tail swing excavators present a viable alternative to conventional-tail excavators.
Ključne riječi
excavators, productivity, fuel consumption, energy cost, CO2 emission, costs
Hrčak ID:
333419
URI
Datum izdavanja:
18.7.2025.
Posjeta: 531 *