Coventry University’s Henry Parnell, working on a new combine harvester concept for Massey Ferguson, has given a fascinating insight into what contract operators, possibly large-scale broadacre property-owners too, might be chomping through crops with by 2030.

While it’s almost certain to look different, should it ever roll off an assembly line, it’s interesting to delve into some of the eye-catching features associated with this header-with-a-difference.

Mr Parnell says his concept design sports a massive 18,000L grain tank which will expand sideways, hydraulically, by about a metre to increase capacity to 24,000L.

Notice too, how the grain tank is positioned in the latter half of the bend-in-the middle design, also the zig-zag folding nature of the unloading auger.

Naturally, the ‘grunt’ department will see the installation of a suitable power plant, in this instance, a 525kW (700hp) engine.

This is deemed necessary since it will have to drive the eight in-hub electric wheel motors, each requiring 48kW (65hp), also the provision of additional internal motors for powering the header’s threshing system.

The combination diesel-electric hybrid power train will translate into improved fuel efficiencies to lower its impact on the environment, according to Henry Parnell.

He calculates total separation area to be in the order of 11.4sq m and predicts capacity would be well over 100tph.

Expect at least an 18m (60ft) wide front to be fitted and sophisticated auto-level technology to be accommodated, thereby dispensing with the need for tracks to spread the 22t all-up weight.

With combine harvester designers restricted in their efforts to limit a header’s width and height, there looks to be rather more leeway when it comes to length. Although this concept header is 12m long, the suggestion is it would still be road-legal.

“With an increased food demand due to the swell in population, there is an opportunity for a combine harvester that can bring in a variety of crops in an efficient way, through reducing time and running costs to allow farmers to maximise profitability,” Mr Parnell said.

“The main market I had in mind for the concept was the contract or custom cutter markets in USA, Eastern Europe and Australia.”