With the climate change, of the world’s leading countries have been carrying out the policy of decarbonization, i.e. reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The main sources of greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture are internal combustion engines of mobile power vehicles. The transition to “green” technologies is expected to reduce the amount of toxic exhaust gases the transition to “green” technologies. In this regard, the development of new environmentally friendly energy sources (hybrid electric drive, hydrogen fuel cells and batteries) is relevant for mobile power vehicles. An analysis of the prospects for the decarbonization of mobile energy vehicles, given in scientific articles and analytical reviews, showed that the use of a hybrid scheme with a diesel generator set, energy storage devices and an electric drive can only partially reduce exhaust emissions. Modern hydrogen fuel cells make it possible to obtain electrical energy without emitting harmful emissions, but they are difficult to manufacture and expensive. Batteries are the most promising energy sources for mobile power vehicles. They do not emit toxic substances during their operation, but have high energy intensity and resource. However, with mass use, it is necessary to study the issue of their reuse and disposal. The results of the conducted research have identified the main trends in the development of mobile power means. In the long term, the decarbonization of agricultural mobile energy vehicles should be carried out through the designing of energy vehicles of low power (up to 50 kW) on batteries with electric transmission or medium and high power (more than 50 kW) on hydrogen fuel cells with electric transmission.

   In subsurface irrigation and fertilization, manual and mechanized hydraulic drills have the disadvantages of high labor costs and low quality of technological operations. The optimization and improvement of subsurface irrigation and fertilization using robotic technologies will provide more effective and precise impact on the root system of plants. To search for prospects and possibilities for robotizing the processes of subsurface irrigation and fertilization, the authors analyzed current trends and prerequisites for robotizing the process of subsurface irrigation. Based on scientific articles, patents, and technical reports, the authors investigated technical aspects and proposed a schematic diagram of an automated module of a robotic platform for subsurface irrigation and fertilization. Mounted on a robotic platform, the hydraulic drill is equipped with technical vision equipment for mapping and autonomous navigation in the garden, as well as a pneumatic cylinder to use the drill on heavy soils and deepen it with the use of air when necessary. The robotic device can strictly perform the given algorithm for a long time, applying water and fertilizers in a precise and accurate way. Its use can reduce labor costs and improve the quality of subsurface irrigation and fertilization. The use of robotic hydraulic drills expands the possibilities of subsurface local influence on the root system of plants, improves the soil climate, forms the architecture of the root system.

   The productivity of the carousel (rotary) milking parlour depends on the number of milking units and the controllable rotation cycle of the platform. Continuous regulation of the platform rotation speed depending on the milking cycle of each animal standing on the platform can lead to complication of the algorithm and the control system and increased loads on the electric drive, taking into account the significant mass and inertia of the rotating platform with animals standing on it. In order to develop an algorithm for the adaptive regulation of the platform rotation speed of the conveyer milking parlour, the authors studied the cyclogram of the 36-unit carousel milking parlour with platform rotation cycles of 8, 10, 12 and 15 minutes. It was found that increasing the platform rotation cycle from 8 to 15 minutes resulted in a decrease in milk recycling from 8.75 to 0 and an increase in the average cycle productivity of the parlour from 17.5 to 26.75 cows/cycle. As the platform rotation cycle increases from 8 to 10 minutes, the average hourly productivity of the milking parlour increases from 131.25 to a maximum of 153 cows/hour. As the platform slows down to 12 and 15 min/cycle, the average hourly productivity of the milking parlour decreases to 133.5 and 107 cows/hour, respectively. The maximum value in the change of the hourly productivity is caused, on the one hand, by the increasing cyclic productivity depending on the platform rotation cycle, and, on the other hand, by its accelerated decrease caused by the corresponding decrease in the number of platform cycles for 1 h of the parlour operation. Based on the conducted research, the authors have developed an algorithm of adaptive regulation of the platform rotation speed of the carousel milking parlour, taking into account the probabilistic-statistical estimation of the complete milking time of an animal. The algorithm can be used to select the optimum platform rotation cycle and increase the milking parlour productivity from 14.65 to 42.3 % (28 % on average).

   The cleaning and disinfection of milking equipment are extremely important for obtaining high-quality milk. When washing the milking system, the most problematic, costly, and time-consuming operation is to flush teat cups. To optimize the process, the authors carried out analytical studies of air-hydraulic mixture velocity in the teat cup. They have developed a washing device for milking unit, including a feeding system of collector type for distribution of a washing solution into four cone-shaped rotating nozzles with mechanically active surface of arbitrary rotation. The uniform and volumetric supply of the washing liquid to the contaminated surface of the teat cup rubber is carried out through the cone-shaped nozzles. On their surface, there are jet atomizers and bristles providing friction washing. The collector platform with nozzles allows teat cups to be connected without disassembling the milking unit. With the help of an electronic pulsator and a one-way valve mechanism it is possible to simultaneously wash milk hoses and the collector of the milking unit in a non-disassembling way. Increasing the intensity of impact on the inner walls of the teat cup rubber, filling the suckling chamber of the teat cups with washing liquid and reducing the washing time with localizing the milking unit washing circulation. In addition, it significantly accelerates the disinfection of milking machines, reduces the washing time at least twice and reduces the consumption of detergents, proportional to the reduction of washing time, while washing the milking unit.

   The quality and availability of forage on the feed table increase cow productivity. Feed availability can be ensured by increasing the length of the feed table and using robotic tools. The use of a wheeled robotized device in feed distribution increases labour productivity and reduces the influence of the human factor on the feeding process. To improve the efficiency of the feed distribution process, the author has developed and tested an automatic positioning system and a robotic device for servicing the feed table. The article presents a mathematical description of the kinematic relationships of movement of wheeled robotic devices. The author has developed an algorithm of the automatic positioning system operation, which takes into account the algorithmic connection between the electric drive actuators of the driving wheels and the vision system, where the image is processed according to the intellectual algorithm of the feeding area recognition. The author has developed the principle of constructing the route travelled by the robotic device along the feed table. Tests have confirmed the conformity of output reactions of the robotic device actuators to the input commands of the automatic positioning system.

   The draft force of a harrow disc gang determines the specific energy cost of tillage. To minimize the cost of determining the draft force of the disc gang in relation to the harrow parameters and soil properties, the author carried out a mathematical modeling of the interaction of the harrow gang with the soil. The semi-analytical model has been built on the assumption of variable depth soil, constancy of depth, forward speed and approach angle of the harrow. It is shown that when the soil is variable only in depth, it can be characterised by two empirical constants and the coefficient of friction of the soil on the disc surface. The kinematic parameter of the disc gang, equal to the ratio of the circumferential speed on the disc blades to the forward speed of the harrow, is determined by the soil properties, the relative depth, equal to the ratio of the working depth to the radius of the discs, and the approach angle of the harrow gang. Based on the analysis of the moments of the soil resistance forces to cutting and friction, the author has shown that when the friction forces in the disc bearings in the variable depth soil are negligibly small, the disc gang of the harrow rotates at an angular speed that provides the minimum possible power of the harrow gang required for tillage. Explicit expressions are obtained for the required power and tractive force of the harrow gang as a function of the number of discs, the angle of approach of the harrow gang, the relative depth, the radius of the discs and the soil properties. Their comparison with published field experiments showed that the maximum relative error in determining the draft of a harrow gang with flat discs was 3.3 % for post-harvest stubble harrowing, and 2.6 % for a harrow gang with spherical discs in a tillage bin.

   The introduction of advanced information technologies in agriculture is facilitated by the effective organization of information and advisory services for agricultural producers. To optimize the location of information and consulting points in the region under conditions of uncertain information about the activities of agricultural producers, the authors have developed a mathematical model of the location of information and consulting pointsin the form of a fuzzy oriented graph. For this graph, all fuzzy sets with the highest degree of external stability are found and the minimal sets are selected from them. To minimize the fuzzy set, the logical rules of fuzzy absorption of elements of the set are used. These minimal sets determine the optimal placement of points that provide the maximum possible coverage of the area. To justify the developed method, the authors present an example of determining the territorial structure of the agro-industrial consulting points in the Tver region. The resulting solution presents a network of five information points providing a degree of service to the region of 0.9 under conditions of uncertain information about connections between points. The proposed method can be used not only in agriculture, but also in other areas where the task is to optimize the location of public service points and the provision of services. These can be repair shops, medical service points, network marketing facilities or mobile communication stations.

    The modern agro-industrial sector requires a large proportion of tractors of a small-traction class due to the rising fuel costs and environmental requirements. The authors raise questions about the prospects of using electric motors as a means to drive the tractor power unit and energy equipment, as well as consider pre-conditions for the integration of such systems in the tractor design under the current economic state of energy resources in the Russian Federation. For this purpose, the article presents a methodology for evaluating the energy and economic parameters of a tractor with an electrically driven power unit as compared with a tractor with a diesel engine. The offered indicator – specific energy cost – makes it possible to compare the parameters of tractors with a diesel engine and an electrically driven power unit. Calculations have shown that the use of a brushless DC electric motor compared with a diesel engine at medium and low loads will reduce the specific energy cost by 5 to 7 roubles/kWh, or by 30 to 50 %. The study has established that the electric power potential in the Russian Federation exceeds the possible energy costs of agricultural machinery by 300 billion kWh, which makes it possible to switch to electrically driven power units. However, it is impossible to use electric motors in tractors without further development of power complexes and electric charge storage batteries.

   In modern agricultural production, unmanned aerial vehicles are capable of solving many tasks. It is expedient to use airships to perform long technological operations above the ground. To justify the need for the dispersed heating of helium in the working chamber of the airship, the authors considered the influence of the ratio of the volumes occupied by heated and cold helium in the working chamber of the airship, as well as the influence of the helium temperature on the lifting force. Calculations have shown that the dispersed heating of helium causes an accelerated change in its density, provides a reduction in the energy consumption for heating, and reduces the requirements for the thermal strength of the envelope. It is shown that distributed heating of helium in the whole working chamber of the airship has a number of advantages over local heating. In the proposed design of the unmanned airship, the technical implementation of the distributed heating of helium is achieved by means of an electrical heating device, the conductive elements of which are placed throughout the working chamber on supports made of light dielectric material. To increase the heating efficiency, the inner surface of the envelope is covered with a reflector made of thin basalt wool foil. The vertical maneuvering of the airship is automatically maintained by the control unit by connecting an electric heating device depending on the helium temperature and the ambient temperature.

   Seed drying affects the quality of seed material. To select a suitable drying method for green peas, the authors studied the effect of convective and vacuum drying, as well as a combination of drying and preliminary microwave treatment of seeds on the germination and physic-mechanical properties of peas. The temperature of convective drying in an oven ranged between 65 and 70 °C, vacuum drying in a vacuum rotary dryer was carried out at the same temperature and a pressure of 0.9 MPa. Preliminary microwave treatment of seeds was carried out at an electromagnetic field frequency of 900 MHz and pulsed radiation lasting for 60 s. Peas frozen at –20 °C and pre-blanched were tested as a fresh sample. The mechanical properties of freshly defrosted and dried peas were measured using a texture analyzer, Structometer ST-2. The color of pea grains was measured with a three-filter colorimeter KFK-2. The completely dry product was obtained after 24 hours of processing for both drying methods. As a result of drying, the geometric and arithmetic diameter of pea grains decreased by 21 to 23 %. During convective drying, the loss of sphericity in peas was observed in 4 to 5 % of the grains. During vacuum drying, as contrasted to convective drying, a statistically significant decrease in the density of pea grains by 6 to 7 % and load by 50 to 70 % was observed. Microwave treatment of seeds, especially in combination with convective drying, has a statistically significant effect on the mechanical properties and internal texture of peas. Vacuum drying, unlike microwave processing and convective drying, does not affect the seed color. Vacuum drying with preliminary microwave treatment ensured the highest germination of pea seeds of 95 to 9 7%. The greatest efficiency of vacuum drying with preliminary microwave treatment of green peas makes this type of drying a good option for harvesting and processing legumes.

   Grain drying after harvesting is often carried out in convective grain dryers with microwave exposure. When designing microwave devices with resonators strive to achieve the maximum efficiency (Q-factor) of microwave convection zones. Due to the lack of studies on the influence of grain humidity and elements located in the microwave convective zone on its Q-factor, the authors investigated these dependences on a computer model. Using the CST Microwave Studio 2019 software, the authors obtained the data on the change in the Q-factor of the resonators. Time Domain Solver methods were used to perform the calculation of the microwave active zone in a wide range of frequencies, and Eigenmode Solver methods – to find the eigenmodes (natural modes) of resonant structures. Computer modeling was carried out in two stages. At the first stage, the authors evaluated the influence on the Q-factor value of the placement in the microwave convective zone of the waveguides. At the second stage, the authors analyzed the change in the Q-factor of microwave convective zone with waveguides and grain of different moisture content (14, 24, and 26 %). The study established significant dependence of the Q-factor of the grain processing zone on the design features and placement of technological elements in it, as well as on the humidity of the processed grain and its temperature. The authors recommended that when designing microwave convective zone for technological processes, the goal should be not to achieve the maximum Q-factor, but to ensure uniform distribution of the microwave field in the active zone.

   Providing consumers with high quality electric power with minimum transmission losses is one of the problems of electric power transmission through power grids. Increasing reactive power of electric consumers, estimated by the load power factor, results in an increase in electricity losses and quality deterioration. To evaluate the influence of the load power factor on the transmission of active load power and to determine the quality and energy efficiency of electricity transmission through power lines, the authors analyzed the change in the parameters of one phase of a three-phase network without compensation and with reactive power compensation. The set task was solved using methods of calculation of linear electric circuits of alternating current, according to the given values of total or active load power, its resistance and the resistance of power line wires. Then the processes of power transmission in low-voltage electric networks of alternating current were simulated using the Electronics Workbench software. The authors take a case of the electric power system consisting of consumers’ (load) electric receptors receiving power supply through the power line connected to the low-voltage busbars of the power transformer. They prove that its parameters are mainly changed when changing the value of the system current determined by the load and transmission line resistances. The quality of low-voltage electrical energy transmission depends on the voltage loss in the power line wires and is determined by the load current and its full resistance. The energy efficiency of electrical energy transmission depends on the power loss in the power line wires and is determined by the amount of active power consumed by the load and the ratio of the active resistance of the power line and the load.