Abstract
Abstract Basic tillage is the most energy-intensive operation in the production of agricultural products. It accounts for half of all energy resources of crop production. Mouldboard tillage loosens the soil well but disrupts its structure. Shaft-free tillage does not disrupt the soil structure but requires additional loosening. We have developed a universal tillage tool in the form of a reversible ripper plough, which can perform mouldboard and non-mouldboard tillage. The reversible ripper plough has removable working tools. A prototype was made to conduct experimental research. The operation of the universal ripper plough has been tested experimentally. The evaluation of the universal ripper plough was carried out according to fuel consumption. As a result of the experiment, three main parameters affecting fuel consumption were recorded: travel speed 7.5–8.7 km·h −1 ; blade rotation angle 42–48°; soil density 1.25–1.33 g·cm −3 . The effect of travel speed, the rotation angle of removable blades, and soil density on fuel consumption has been determined. The regression equation for fuel consumption from the selected parameters is obtained. The problem of optimisation according to the criterion of fuel consumption has been solved. Its minimum value per working tool is 2.035 l·ha −1 (for a tractor 16–18 l·ha-1) and is provided by a speed of 8.39 km·h −1 and a blade rotation angle of 44.99° when cultivating soil with a density of 1.26 g·m −3 .