IIIT Hyderabad develops solar harvester

The Engineering Technology and Innovation Centre (Entice) of the International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad, has developed a prototype of a solar harvester. Unlike the conventional harvester, this can be remotely operated. Solar energy apart, it can use the grid power or can be paddle-powered.

According to TJ David, inventor at Entice, the solar harvester will cut down the usage of fossil fuels like diesel and petrol. It can reap paddy and wheat among others and is designed to collect foodgrains without damaging the fodder.

Entice has provided direct drives with individual electric motors for the cutter, feeders, conveyer belt, trashing unit and the hydraulic lift. “This is an improvised version of the already existing paddle-powered harvester,” informs David.

In the case of conventional harvesters, the vehicle engine provides the drive to all. This results in power loss as the engine is kept running for powering one or more components. “Solar harvester uses about 70 per cent less energy as compared with the conventional harvester,” he says, adding the cost of machine also reduces as fewer mechanical components are used. The steel fabricated solar harvester, which weighs about 150 kg, consumes one kilowatt power an hour for harvesting an acre.

The reduced weight also makes the solar harvester convenient to be operated with a remote control. The savings due to the solar harvester are to the tune of about Rs 3,000, including fuel and labour costs, to harvest one acre.

Many farmers use tractors for harvesting. But, a harvester does not require the power of a tractor, which is about 15 to 20 hp. A large chunk of this energy is needed for overcoming the mass of the tractor itself while the actual harvesting operations consume only a fraction of the energy, he says.

According to David, there are about 800,000 villages in the country and even if each bought just one solar harvester, it would result in saving several thousand litres of diesel.

The prototype is already patented and the institute is open for tieups with manufacturers for technology transfer to take the product to rural areas.

David and his team are also working on an AC bed that uses less than 100 W power for achieving the cooling. It has a power back up for six hours and comes in handy during power cuts. “There is no need to cool the entire room and its furniture to keep a person comfortable,” he points out. A coolant will be used in the AC bed and it will have blowers and controls as well. In winters, this can be used as heater as well.

The project, collaborative effort between IIIT and Vasavi Engineering College in the city, is in final stages.

ENTICE encourages inventors to work on ideas and prototypes to make them available to the masses. The centre offers advise on patenting and establishing contacts with industry and communities to promote technology transfer.