Strip tillage is a widely used land preparation approach for effective straw management in conservation agriculture. Understanding the dynamic throwing process during the stubble-crushing operation has important implications for seedbed preparation. However, the airflow generated by the high-speed rotation of stubble-crushing blades has yet to be considered. We established a coupled DEM-CFD simulation model and explored the dynamic motion of soil particles varied with their initial depth (at 0, 20, 40, 60, 80 mm depth) and surface straw under different blade rotary speeds (270, 540, 720, and 810 rpm) based on the model. The coupled model simulation results were proved to be well correlated with the field test results by the field high-speed camera test. The simulation results showed that airflow had a significant effect on the longitudinal displacement of straw (p < 0.05). An increase in rotary speed could increase the longitudinal and lateral throwing displacement of soil particles and straw and increase the blade–soil–straw interaction, while there was no directional effect on the vertical motion. The lateral movement of soil particles decreased with increasing soil particle depth. The stubble-crushing operation allowed the exchange of deep and shallow soil layers, as well as the burial of straw. Plain, straight stubble-crushing blades with a rotary speed of 540 rpm were able to form the optimal seeding row with a width of 80.86 mm. The simulation results were useful for assessing the design solutions of high-speed rotational tools and evaluating seedbed preparation practices.

In response to the problems of low unloading height, small collection tank capacity, and high ear damage rate during grain collection in the fresh corn combine harvester, a large collection tank with buffering and shock absorption mechanism and high unloading height was designed based on the 4YX-6 fresh corn combine harvester, which is a fully hydraulic driven fresh corn combine harvester. The device mainly consists of a box body, a buffering and shock-absorbing mechanism, a grain unloading extension mechanism, an electro-hydraulic system, etc. According to the agronomic requirements for fresh corn cultivation, the volume of the grain collection tank is designed to be 10 m3. According to the height range of the grain receiving truck during the harvest of fresh corn, the unloading stroke height of the grain collection box is designed to be 2.9 m~4.4 m. To achieve synchronization of lifting and flipping actions during high-level unloading, a synchronous series hydraulic system is designed. Conduct force analysis on the drop of fruit ears to the bottom of the grain collection box and design a buffering and shock-absorbing mechanism. The designed grain collection box was installed on the 4YX-6 fresh corn combine harvester for field experiments, with ear damage rate and unloading time as performance indicators. The results showed that the ear damage rate ranged from 0.5% to 0.8%, the unloading time was from74 s to 126 s,and there were no safety issues such as deformation or tilting of the device during operation. The ear damage rate met the standards, and the working performance was stable, meeting the operational requirements.

The high-value utilization market for crop straw renders the development of stubble management technology crucial. This study aims to reduce the energy consumption of L-shaped rotary blades during stubble-breaking. Based on a theory analysis of the rotary-cutting operation process, this study involved the burial of the in situ maize root–soil composite in an indoor soil bin, and investigated the effects of rotary speed (275, 330, 385, 440 rpm) and working depth (50, 85, 120 mm) on torque, power, and energy. Field verification yields an overall average relative error of 2.76% across six replicates, verifying that the indoor test method can reliably reproduce field cutting conditions. As the high-speed video images show, a reduction in rotary speed coupled with an augmentation in working depth has the potential to result in residue entanglement and secondary cutting, thereby leading to an escalation in consumption. As the working depth increased, peak torque appeared at a deeper penetration position. The analysis of the computer-aided geometric model section of the root–soil composite indicated that the diameter of the branching root was the primary factor influencing peak torque. At a working depth of 85 mm, the average power savings ranged from 2.26% to 24.8% compared to 50 mm and 120 mm. Despite the increase in average power, peak power, and specific energy requirements at all operational depths with increasing rotary speed, torque reached its minimum at 385 rpm. At 385 rpm, average torque hits its minimum to mitigate component wear, though power and specific energy rise monotonically with rotational speed. The multi-index evaluation balancing mechanical load, energy loss, and residue delivery identifies 385 rpm paired with 85 mm depth as the optimal parameter set. The optimized parameter combination delivers a quantifiable sustainable residue management scheme that balances ecological residue treatment and economic machinery operation costs, supporting low-carbon, sustainable production.