Design and Fabrication of Customised Harvester for Removing Water Hyacinth

Dr.Vinoth V

HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT  MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Manikandan S

BATCHELOR OF ENGINEERING MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Vigneshwaran T

BATCHELOR OF ENGINEERING    MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Meganathan M

BATCHELOR OF ENGINEERING    MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Dinesh S

BATCHELOR OF ENGINEERING    MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

DHIRAJLAL GANDHI COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY, SALEM-636304,TAMIL NADU, INDIA

Abstract - Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is one of the most aggressive aquatic weeds, causing severe ecological imbalance and obstruction in water bodies. Conventional removal techniques such as manual extraction, chemical treatment, and large-scale mechanical harvesters are either labor-intensive, environmentally harmful, or economically unfeasible for rural applications. This paper presents the design, fabrication, and performance evaluation of a low-cost, floating water hyacinth harvester intended for small and shallow water bodies. The proposed system integrates a reciprocating cutting mechanism with a chain conveyor for continuous biomass collection, mounted on a lightweight pontoon structure to ensure stability and low draft operation. The harvester is powered by low-voltage DC motors, enabling energy-efficient operation with the potential for battery or renewable energy integration. An optional IoT-based control system using NodeMCU and the Blynk platform allows remote monitoring and control of key parameters. Experimental validation demonstrates effective weed removal with minimal power consumption and improved operational convenience. The developed prototype offers a cost-effective and sustainable alternative to conventional systems, making it suitable for decentralized deployment in rural and resource-constrained regions.Key Words:  Water hyacinth, Reciprocating cutter, Conveyor system, Pontoon stability, IoT, Node MCU, Remote monitoring