Briefly outline three areas to which agricultural engineers contribute, with examples of each.

On solidification from a melt, the polymer polyethylene forms a semi-crystalline spherulite structure. (i) sketch an individual spherulite and label the amorphous and crystalline regions. (ii) draw a schematic to show the changes in specific volume with temperature during cooling from the melt, comparing it to the theoretical extremes of fully crystalline and fully amorphous (indicate tm and tg)

Precipitation hardening can be achieved in many light alloys by a three-step heat treatment. what is carried out and what is the purpose at each step? why is such a treatment necessary based on the nucleation and growth theory of phase transformation. compare this treatment with tempering martensite for carbon steels (similarities and differences).

The catalogue for a refrigerant 22, four-cylinder, hermetic compressor operating at 29 r/s. a condensing temperature of 40°c and an evaporating temperature of -4°c shows a refrigeration capacity of 115 kw. at this operating point, the motor (its efficiency is 90 percent) draws 34.5 kw. the bore of the cylinders is 87 mm and the piston stroke is 70 mm. the performance data are based on 8°c of sub-cooling of the liquid leaving the condenser. compute (a) the actual volumetric efficiency and (b) the compression efficiency.