1. A crop residue energy-recovery harvester comprising: • a residue collection mechanism (101) integrated with a conventional combine harvester, including guide vanes, pickup reels, and controlled airflow channels; • an enclosed residue processing unit (102) configured for size reduction and moisture conditioning of collected biomass; and • an energy recovery module (103) configured to convert wheat crop residue into usable energy during harvesting through thermochemical or mechanical conversion methods.

2. The harvester as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the energy recovery module (103) operates using combustion, gasification, or bio-mechanical power generation.

3. The harvester as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the recovered energy is converted into electrical or mechanical power through a generator or power transmission system (104).

4. The harvester as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the generated power is utilized to operate auxiliary systems of the harvester including conveyors, residue choppers, hydraulic pumps, lighting, or electronic control units (105).

5. The harvester as claimed in Claim 1, wherein excess recovered energy is stored in an onboard energy storage unit (106) or supplied to external agricultural equipment.

6. The harvester as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the system operates continuously during harvesting without requiring additional field passes or separate residue management machinery.

7. The harvester as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the modular design allows adaptation to different wheat varieties, field conditions, and farm sizes.

8. The harvester as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the system reduces fossil fuel dependence by offsetting harvester fuel or electrical energy requirements.

Description:BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Wheat cultivation generates a large quantity of crop residue in the form of straw and stubble after harvesting. Due to the short time gap between wheat harvesting and the sowing of the next crop, particularly paddy, farmers often find it difficult to manage this residue efficiently. Existing residue management practices such as open-field burning, manual removal, or conventional mechanical harvesting methods are either environmentally harmful, labor intensive, time-consuming, or economically unviable for small and marginal farmers.Open burning of wheat residue remains a widespread practice, leading to severe air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, loss of valuable soil nutrients, and adverse impacts on human health and biodiversity. Although residue management machines like happy seeders, balers, and mulchers are available, they consume significant fuel or electrical energy, increasing operational costs and limiting their adoption. Moreover, current harvesting systems do not utilize the inherent energy potential of crop residues, resulting in wastage of a valuable biomass resource.There is a lack of an integrated harvesting solution that can simultaneously collect wheat residue and recover usable energy from it during the harvesting process. The absence of such energy-recovery mechanisms leads to inefficient resource utilization and continued dependence on external energy sources for agricultural operations. Therefore, there is a critical need for an innovative crop residue harvesting system that not only manages wheat residues effectively but also converts a portion of the harvested biomass into recoverable energy, thereby reducing environmental pollution, lowering operational costs, and promoting sustainable agricultural practices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts, in a simplified format, that are further described in the detailed description of the invention.
This summary is neither intended to identify key or essential inventive concepts of the invention and nor is it intended for determining the scope of the invention.
The proposed invention, titled “Crop Residue Energy-Recovery Harvester,” provides an integrated solution for effective wheat crop residue management while simultaneously recovering usable energy during the harvesting operation. The invention addresses the problems of residue burning, inefficient biomass utilization, and high operational energy costs by combining residue collection, processing, and energy conversion within a single harvesting system. The system is designed as an attachment to, or an integrated part of, a conventional combine harvester. During the wheat harvesting process, the invention collects straw and stubble generated after grain separation using a residue gathering mechanism comprising guide vanes, pickup reels, and controlled airflow channels. Instead of merely chopping and spreading the residue on the field, the collected biomass is directed into an enclosed processing unit.
To further clarify advantages and features of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof, which is illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The illustrated embodiments of the subject matter will be understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals throughout. The following description is intended only by way of example, and simply illustrates certain selected embodiments of devices, systems, and methods that are consistent with the subject matter as claimed herein, wherein:
FIGURE 1: FLOWCHART OF THE PROPOSED CROP RESIDUE ENERGY-RECOVERY HARVESTER SYSTEM.
The figures depict embodiments of the present subject matter for the purposes of illustration only. A person skilled in the art will easily recognize from the following description that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the disclosure described herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The detailed description of various exemplary embodiments of the disclosure is described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the embodiments are described herein in such details as to clearly communicate the disclosure. However, the amount of details provided herein is not intended to limit the anticipated variations of embodiments; on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.
It is also to be understood that various arrangements may be devised that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of the present disclosure, as well as specific examples, are intended to encompass equivalents thereof.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms “a",” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes” and/or “including,” when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and/or groups thereof.
It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions/acts noted may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two figures shown in succession may, in fact, be executed concurrently or may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality/acts involved.
In addition, the descriptions of "first", "second", “third”, and the like in the present invention are used for the purpose of description only, and are not to be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Thus, features defining "first" and "second" may include at least one of the features, either explicitly or implicitly.
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which example embodiments belong. It will be further understood that terms, e.g., those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.
The proposed invention, titled “Crop Residue Energy-Recovery Harvester,” provides an integrated solution for effective wheat crop residue management while simultaneously recovering usable energy during the harvesting operation. The invention addresses the problems of residue burning, inefficient biomass utilization, and high operational energy costs by combining residue collection, processing, and energy conversion within a single harvesting system. The system is designed as an attachment to, or an integrated part of, a conventional combine harvester. During the wheat harvesting process, the invention collects straw and stubble generated after grain separation using a residue gathering mechanism comprising guide vanes, pickup reels, and controlled airflow channels. Instead of merely chopping and spreading the residue on the field, the collected biomass is directed into an enclosed processing unit. Within the processing unit, the wheat residue is mechanically conditioned through controlled size reduction and moisture regulation to make it suitable for energy conversion. The conditioned biomass is then fed into an energy-recovery module, which may operate using thermochemical or mechanical energy conversion principles such as biomass combustion, gasification, or bio- mechanical power extraction. The recovered energy is converted into usable electrical or mechanical power through a generator or power transmission system. The generated energy is utilized in real time to partially or fully power auxiliary functions of the harvester, such as residue chopping, conveyor systems, hydraulic pumps, lighting, or electronic control units. Excess energy, if available, may be stored in an onboard energy storage unit or supplied to external farm equipment. By offsetting the harvester’s fuel or electrical energy requirements, the invention significantly reduces operational costs and fossil fuel dependence. The proposed invention operates continuously during harvesting, enabling simultaneous grain collection, residue management, and energy recovery without requiring additional field passes or separate machinery. The system is designed to be modular, allowing adaptation to different wheat varieties, field conditions, and farm sizes. By converting wheat crop residue into a valuable energy resource at the point of generation, the invention eliminates the need for open-field burning, reduces environmental pollution, and promotes sustainable and energy-efficient agricultural practices.
The novelty of the proposed invention lies in the integration of wheat crop residue harvesting with real-time energy recovery within a single harvester system. Unlike existing agricultural machines that merely chop, spread, bale, or collect crop residue for off-field processing, the proposed invention converts wheat residue into usable energy during the harvesting operation itself. The system uniquely captures the energy potential of freshly generated crop residue and utilizes it on-the-go to power auxiliary functions of the harvester, thereby reducing external fuel or electrical energy requirements. The invention introduces a dedicated energy-recovery module integrated with a residue collection and conditioning mechanism, enabling continuous conversion of biomass into mechanical or electrical energy without requiring additional field passes or separate processing units. This direct coupling of residue management and energy generation is not disclosed or suggested in existing prior art. Furthermore, the modular design allows the system to be adapted to conventional combine harvesters, making it practical, scalable, and suitable for real field conditions. By transforming wheat crop residue from a waste material into an immediate energy source at the point of harvest, the invention provides a novel and sustainable approach that effectively addresses residue burning, energy inefficiency, and environmental pollution.
The invention relates to a crop residue energy-recovery harvester designed to simultaneously manage wheat crop residue and recover usable energy during harvesting. The system integrates a residue collection mechanism (101) comprising guide vanes, pickup reels, and controlled airflow channels to gather straw and stubble after grain separation. Unlike conventional systems that merely chop and spread residue, the collected biomass is directed into an enclosed processing unit (102), where it undergoes controlled size reduction and moisture conditioning to prepare it for energy conversion.
The conditioned biomass is fed into an energy recovery module (103), which operates using thermochemical or mechanical conversion methods such as combustion, gasification, or bio-mechanical power extraction. The recovered energy is converted into usable electrical or mechanical power through a generator or transmission system (104). This energy is utilized in real time to power auxiliary functions of the harvester, including conveyors, residue choppers, hydraulic pumps, lighting, and electronic control units (105). Excess energy, if available, is stored in an onboard energy storage unit (106) or supplied to external farm equipment.
The system operates continuously during harvesting, enabling simultaneous grain collection, residue management, and energy recovery without requiring additional machinery or field passes. Its modular design allows adaptation to different wheat varieties, field conditions, and farm sizes. By converting crop residue into energy at the point of generation, the invention eliminates open-field burning, reduces environmental pollution, lowers operational costs, and promotes sustainable agricultural practices.
In one embodiment, the harvester may be adapted for multi-crop use, enabling effective collection and energy recovery not only from wheat residue but also from rice straw, maize stalks, sugarcane trash, and cotton residues. Adjustable guide vanes and pickup reels allow the system to handle varying residue sizes and densities, making the machine versatile across diverse cropping systems.
In another embodiment, the energy recovery module may be configured as a hybrid system that combines thermochemical conversion methods such as combustion or gasification with mechanical energy extraction. This dual-mode design ensures maximum energy recovery efficiency under different field conditions and residue compositions.
A further embodiment incorporates advanced onboard energy storage and distribution systems. Excess energy generated during harvesting can be stored in lithium-ion batteries or supercapacitors, and a DC/AC inverter may be included to supply power to external farm equipment or micro-grids, thereby extending the utility of the recovered energy beyond the harvester itself.
In yet another embodiment, the harvester integrates a smart control system with IoT-based sensors to monitor biomass feed rate, moisture content, and energy output in real time. A farmer-friendly dashboard provides live data on energy recovery and residue management efficiency, enabling informed operational decisions and predictive maintenance.
Another embodiment emphasizes modularity, allowing the energy-recovery unit to be designed as an attachment compatible with conventional combine harvesters, balers, or mulchers. This reduces cost and enables retrofitting of existing machinery, making the technology accessible to small and marginal farmers.
In an environmentally focused embodiment, the energy recovery module may include emission control systems such as filters or scrubbers to minimize particulate emissions during combustion or gasification. This ensures compliance with environmental standards while generating clean energy.
A dual-mode operational embodiment allows the system to function either in residue management-only mode, where biomass is collected and conditioned for later use, or in energy-recovery mode, where biomass is converted into usable energy during harvesting. This flexibility makes the system adaptable to varying farmer requirements and field conditions.
Finally, embodiments may be scaled for different farm sizes, with compact versions designed for smallholder farmers and high-capacity versions for large-scale mechanized farms. Integration with renewable energy systems such as solar panels can further reduce fossil fuel dependence, while safety features such as automatic shutdown, fire suppression, and fail-safe mechanisms ensure reliable and secure operation in diverse agricultural environments.
ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
• Converts agricultural crop residue into valuable renewable energy instead of treating it as waste.
• Eliminates open-field burning of crop residues, thereby reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
• Enables simultaneous residue harvesting and energy recovery in a single mechanized operation
. • Reduces dependence on fossil fuels by generating clean bioenergy from farm waste.
• Improves soil health by preventing nutrient loss and organic matter degradation.
• Reduces labour requirements and operational time through full mechanisation.
• Provides additional income to farmers through energy generation and biomass utilization.
• Enables faster field clearance and timely sowing of the next crop.
• Supports sustainable and climate-smart agricultural practices.
• Suitable for small, medium, and large-scale farming systems with adaptable configurations.
 
, Claims:1. A crop residue energy-recovery harvester comprising:
• a residue collection mechanism (101) integrated with a conventional combine harvester, including guide vanes, pickup reels, and controlled airflow channels;
• an enclosed residue processing unit (102) configured for size reduction and moisture conditioning of collected biomass; and
• an energy recovery module (103) configured to convert wheat crop residue into usable energy during harvesting through thermochemical or mechanical conversion methods.
2. The harvester as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the energy recovery module (103) operates using combustion, gasification, or bio-mechanical power generation.
3. The harvester as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the recovered energy is converted into electrical or mechanical power through a generator or power transmission system (104).
4. The harvester as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the generated power is utilized to operate auxiliary systems of the harvester including conveyors, residue choppers, hydraulic pumps, lighting, or electronic control units (105).
5. The harvester as claimed in Claim 1, wherein excess recovered energy is stored in an onboard energy storage unit (106) or supplied to external agricultural equipment.
6. The harvester as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the system operates continuously during harvesting without requiring additional field passes or separate residue management machinery.
7. The harvester as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the modular design allows adaptation to different wheat varieties, field conditions, and farm sizes.
8. The harvester as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the system reduces fossil fuel dependence by offsetting harvester fuel or electrical energy requirements.