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Threshing unit requires the major part of combine harvester power used to harvest grain. That becomes all the more evident as, with the axial flow design, a high percentage (up to 80 %) of the total power should be consume by the rotor.

This paper presents a mathematical model for rotor idle power and process power requirement for axial threshing units. A generalised equation of power required by the rotor of an axial flow combine harvester was developed on a physical basis and a reiterated multiple regression technique. The function is related to crop properties (crop type and moisture content of material other-than-grain (MOG)), throughput, rotor speed and concave clearance.

The model validation is based on experimental data obtained from the testing for different axial threshing units. A very good agreement shows the comparison of predicted and experimental data.