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Innovations and Practices of Agricultural Green Mechanized Production Technology
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Innovations and Practices of Agricultural Green Mechanized Production Technology

A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Agricultural Technology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 August 2022) | Viewed by 65549

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Zhichao Hu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Nanjing Institute of Agricultural Mechanization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Nanjing 210014, China
Interests: agricultural machinery; green production; no-tillage planting; peanut harvest; residual film recycling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Fengwei Gu

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
Nanjing Institute of Agricultural Mechanization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Nanjing 210014, China
Interests: agricultural machinery; straw retention; no-tillage planting; combine harvesting; experiment design; discrete element method
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Agricultural mechanization is an important way to improve the efficiency and benefits of agricultural production. With the increase in the world’s population, agricultural mechanization technology has become an important means to ensure food supply and human social stability. However, extensive agricultural mechanization has caused serious damage to soil, atmosphere, and water sources. The main feature of agricultural green mechanized production technology is to improve the comprehensive agricultural production capacity with the least energy, resource consumption, and environmental impact, which is the inevitable choice for the sustainable development of human civilization.

This Special Issue focuses on the innovations and practices of agricultural green mechanized production technology in crop sowing and harvesting, so as to support agricultural green production and promote agricultural green development through efficient, cost-effective, energy-saving, eco-friendly, intelligent, and sophisticated agricultural mechanized technology and equipment. We welcome all types of articles, such as original research and reviews dealing with agricultural green mechanized production technology from different research fields, including but not limited to agricultural engineering, agricultural environment, precision agriculture, and simulation analysis.

Dr. Zhichao Hu
Dr. Fengwei Gu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agriculture is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • agricultural machinery
  • green production
  • efficient seeding
  • combine harvesting
  • mechanical design
  • sensor
  • computer simulation
  • optimization
  • field experiment

Published Papers (32 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 5471 KiB  
Article
Parameter Optimization and Testing of a Self-Propelled Combine Cabbage Harvester
by Jianfei Zhang, Guangqiao Cao, Yue Jin, Wenyu Tong, Ying Zhao and Zhiyu Song
Agriculture 2022, 12(10), 1610; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12101610 - 04 Oct 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1784
Abstract
On account of a lack of suitable and specialized harvesting equipment for cabbage species and planting modes in China, in this study, a type of 4GCSD-1200 type cabbage harvester was designed to further optimize the working performance of the cabbage harvester. First, the [...] Read more.
On account of a lack of suitable and specialized harvesting equipment for cabbage species and planting modes in China, in this study, a type of 4GCSD-1200 type cabbage harvester was designed to further optimize the working performance of the cabbage harvester. First, the structure and working principles of the harvester were introduced, and the cabbage harvesting process was analyzed. Based on the test method and theoretical analysis, a single-factor test was carried out on the main working parameters of the sample machine, the advancing speed, rotating speed of the pulling roller, rotating speed of the conveyor belt, and the cutter-head were taken as independent variables, and the qualifying rate of cabbage harvesting was taken as the response value. According to the Box–Behnken test design principles, a four-factor three-level response surface analysis was adopted to establish a mathematical model between all test factors and the qualifying rate of cabbage harvesting, then all test factors and their interaction effects were analyzed. The test results showed that the optimal working parameters of the harvester were: the advancing speed was 1.1 km/h, the rotating speed of the pulling roller was 90 r/min, the rotating speed of the conveyor belt was 205 r/min, and the rotating speed of the cutter-head was 395 r/min. The verification test results showed that the qualifying rate of cabbage harvesting was 96.3%, showing a good harvesting effect, with uniformly cut notches and a low damage rate. The test indicates that by optimizing the working parameters, the damage during the mechanized harvesting of cabbage can be reduced and the qualifying rate of harvesting can be improved; the working effect could, therefore, satisfy the requirements of market harvesting. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations and Practices of Agricultural Green Mechanized Production Technology)
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15 pages, 5642 KiB  
Article
Study on the Detection of Defoliation Effect of an Improved YOLOv5x Cotton
by Xingwang Wang, Xufeng Wang, Can Hu, Fei Dai, Jianfei Xing, Enyuan Wang, Zhenhao Du, Long Wang and Wensong Guo
Agriculture 2022, 12(10), 1583; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12101583 - 30 Sep 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1329
Abstract
In order to study the detection effect of cotton boll opening after spraying defoliant, and to solve the problem of low efficiency of traditional manual detection methods for the use effect of cotton defoliant, this study proposed a cotton detection method improved YOLOv5x+ [...] Read more.
In order to study the detection effect of cotton boll opening after spraying defoliant, and to solve the problem of low efficiency of traditional manual detection methods for the use effect of cotton defoliant, this study proposed a cotton detection method improved YOLOv5x+ algorithm. Convolution Attention Module (CBAM) was embedded after Conv to enhance the network’s feature extraction ability, suppress background information interference, and enable the network to focus better on cotton targets in the detection process. At the same time, the depth separable convolution (DWConv) was used to replace the ordinary convolution (Conv) in the YOLOv5x model, reducing the convolution kernel parameters in the algorithm, reducing the amount of calculation, and improving the detection speed of the algorithm. Finally, the detection layer was added to make the algorithm have higher accuracy in detecting small size cotton. The test results show that the accuracy rate P (%), recall rate R (%), and mAP value (%) of the improved algorithm reach 90.95, 89.16, and 78.47 respectively, which are 8.58, 8.84, and 5.15 higher than YOLOv5x algorithm respectively, and the convergence speed is faster, the error is smaller, and the resolution of cotton background and small target cotton is improved, which can meet the detection of cotton boll opening effect after spraying defoliant. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations and Practices of Agricultural Green Mechanized Production Technology)
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21 pages, 8444 KiB  
Article
Test and Optimization of Oilseed Rape (Brassica napus L.) Threshing Device Based on DEM
by Jun Wu, Qing Tang, Senlin Mu, Lan Jiang and Zhichao Hu
Agriculture 2022, 12(10), 1580; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12101580 - 30 Sep 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1455
Abstract
Gridded concave plate sieves are usually used for threshing operations of grain and oilseed crops. In response to the problems of high threshing loss rate and grain breakage rate when threshing oilseed rape, this research modified the threshing concave plate of oilseed rape [...] Read more.
Gridded concave plate sieves are usually used for threshing operations of grain and oilseed crops. In response to the problems of high threshing loss rate and grain breakage rate when threshing oilseed rape, this research modified the threshing concave plate of oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) harvesters to improve the performance and efficiency of oilseed rape separation. The improved threshing concave plate adopts a 360° wrap angle, and a guide plate with an adjustable inflow angle is designed on the inner side of the concave plate. The optimal combination of parameters for the threshing device is determined by simulation analysis and field testing. Single-factor simulations of the threshing cylinder speed and guide plate angle are carried out using EDEM, which showed that both are influencing factors for the force and speed of the oilseed rape particles. A three-factor and three-level orthogonal experiment was undertaken to validate the simulation analysis further. The threshing cylinder speed, concave plate speed, and guide plate angle were influencing factors. The threshing loss rate and grain breakage rate are evaluation indicators. The field validation tests are carried out on concave plates with 180° wrap angle and 360° wrap angle, the results showed that the concave plate with 360° wrap angle reduces the threshing loss rate by 4.25%, the grain breakage rate by 0.93%, and improved the harvesting efficiency by 0.31 km/h when the threshing cylinder speed was 81.89 rad/s, concave plate speed was 9.34 rad/s, and guide plate angle was 40°. This study demonstrates that the concave plate with a 360° wrap angle has better performance and operational efficiency, and it provides design ideas for threshing devices for other crop combine harvesters. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations and Practices of Agricultural Green Mechanized Production Technology)
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14 pages, 2502 KiB  
Article
Power Consumption Influence Test of Castor Disc-Cutting Device
by Teng Wu, Fanting Kong, Lei Shi, Qing Xie, Yongfei Sun and Changlin Chen
Agriculture 2022, 12(10), 1535; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12101535 - 23 Sep 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1047
Abstract
This study theoretically analyzed the cutting process of castor and determined the structural parameters of the key component of the castor disc-cutting device, aiming to obtain the optimal operation parameter combination and reduce the cutting resistance and power consumption during the harvesting process. [...] Read more.
This study theoretically analyzed the cutting process of castor and determined the structural parameters of the key component of the castor disc-cutting device, aiming to obtain the optimal operation parameter combination and reduce the cutting resistance and power consumption during the harvesting process. The effects of the cutting-disc thickness, cutting-disc rotational speed, feeding speed, and edge angle on the cutting power consumption were studied using an orthogonal rotation combination experiment. The response surface method was used to optimize the parameters, and the mathematical relationship model between the cutting power consumption and each factor was established to determine the optimal parameter combination for disc cutting. The simulation results showed that the optimal combination of cutting parameters was cutting-disc thickness of 3 mm, cutting-disc rotational speed of 550 r/min, feeding speed of 0.6 m/s, and edge angle of 20°. Under these conditions, the cutting power consumption was 1.20375 J. The test results were basically consistent with the model prediction results. Therefore, this study provided a theoretical basis and reference for the design and improvement of castor harvesters. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations and Practices of Agricultural Green Mechanized Production Technology)
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16 pages, 3007 KiB  
Article
Calibration of Discrete Element Model Parameters of Soil around Tubers during Potato Harvesting Period
by Yuyao Li, Jiali Fan, Zhichao Hu, Weiwen Luo, Hongguang Yang, Lili Shi and Feng Wu
Agriculture 2022, 12(9), 1475; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12091475 - 16 Sep 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1884
Abstract
To address the fact that existing studies may not be able to accurately describe the discrete element parameters of the soil during the potato harvesting period and to improve the accuracy of the potato harvesting equipment simulation studies, this study was conducted on [...] Read more.
To address the fact that existing studies may not be able to accurately describe the discrete element parameters of the soil during the potato harvesting period and to improve the accuracy of the potato harvesting equipment simulation studies, this study was conducted on the soil around the harvested potato tubers in the field. The simulation parameters of the discrete element model of soil were determined by the soil stacking angle test and soil block shear crushing test with the actual test measurements as the target. Based on a series of experimental designs, the factors affecting the stacking angle were the static friction coefficient and the rolling friction coefficient between soil particles; and the rolling friction coefficient between soil and steel. The factors affecting the maximum shear damage force were normal stiffness and shear stiffness per unit area. The quadratic regression equations were established and solved to obtain the optimal discrete element simulation parameters. The results can provide more realistic and reliable parameters for the construction of soil simulation models of potato fields during harvesting and for the discrete element simulation of soil-touching components of potato harvesting equipment. It can also further enrich the parameter data of soil discrete element simulation models and provide a reference for related research Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations and Practices of Agricultural Green Mechanized Production Technology)
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18 pages, 7179 KiB  
Article
Analysis and Evaluation of Influencing Factors on Uniform Sowing of Wheat with Wide Seed Belt after Sowing and Soil Throwing Device
by Bokai Wang, Fengwei Gu, Zhichao Hu, Feng Wu, Xulei Chen and Weiwen Luo
Agriculture 2022, 12(9), 1455; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12091455 - 13 Sep 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1407
Abstract
The uneven sowing of wheat on ground covered with rice straw in the rice–wheat rotation area in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River has become a serious problem. Therefore, a test bed for throwing soil after sowing with a wide [...] Read more.
The uneven sowing of wheat on ground covered with rice straw in the rice–wheat rotation area in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River has become a serious problem. Therefore, a test bed for throwing soil after sowing with a wide wheat seed belt was designed, which could complete the functions of straw crushing, straw lateral concentration and uniform sowing at one time. The discrete element simulation model of throwing soil after sowing with a wide wheat seed belt was established with rotary blade shaft speed, soil guide plate angle and soil retaining plate angle as variables. Taking the variation coefficient of wheat sowing depth and variation coefficient of sowing lateral uniformity as evaluation indexes, the effects of three variables on sowing uniformity were analyzed by single factor test and Box–Behnken test. The results of single factor test observed that when the rotating speed of rotary blade shaft was 260–300 rpm, the angle of soil guide plate was 36°–48°, the angle of soil retaining plate was 58°–74° and the experiment of utilizing a soil throwing and covering device with a wide seed belt after sowing revealed a good consistency of sowing depth and lateral uniformity effect. The Box–Behnken simulation experiment showed that the primary and secondary factors affecting the variation coefficient of wheat sowing lateral uniformity were the angle of soil guide plate, the rotation speed of rotary blade shaft, the angle of soil retaining plate and the angle of soil guide plate. When the rotation speed of rotary blade shaft, the angle of soil guide plate and the angle of soil retaining plate were 282.1 rpm, 42.4° and 65.5°, respectively, the soil throwing and covering device after sowing has the best seed-homogenizing effect. At this time, the variation coefficients of sowing depth and lateral uniformity in simulation test and field verification test were 4.35% and 4.57%, respectively, and 12.46% and 12.73%, respectively. The results of field verification test were basically consistent with those of the simulation test, which proved that the results of applying discrete element methods to optimize the soil-throwing device after sowing with a wide seed belt were credible. This study could provide a theoretical reference for the structure optimization of a soil-throwing device after sowing with a wide seed belt. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations and Practices of Agricultural Green Mechanized Production Technology)
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13 pages, 2364 KiB  
Article
Mechanism and Experiment of Full-Feeding Tangential-Flow Picking for Peanut Harvesting
by Lili Shi, Bing Wang, Zhichao Hu and Hongguang Yang
Agriculture 2022, 12(9), 1448; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12091448 - 13 Sep 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1673
Abstract
Peanut is China’s most competitive oil and cash crops internationally. Furthermore, China’s peanut production is the largest in the world. Hence, the peanut industry plays an important role in the national economy. To address the problems of high rates of broken and unharvested [...] Read more.
Peanut is China’s most competitive oil and cash crops internationally. Furthermore, China’s peanut production is the largest in the world. Hence, the peanut industry plays an important role in the national economy. To address the problems of high rates of broken and unharvested pods during peanut harvesting, we researched the dynamic characteristics of harvesting and the mechanisms that influence operation quality. Considering the typical peanut varieties in China’s main peanut-producing areas as the study objects, we studied the mechanical properties of peanut in relation to the harvesting process. By adopting the Box-Behnken design, we set the harvesting net rate Y1, breakage rate Y2, and entrapment loss rate Y3 as the evaluation indices. We performed response surface testing on the peanut-harvesting roller speed, longitudinal size of concave sieve holes, peanut harvesting gap, and feeding volume. Through field verification testing, the parameters for maximum performance were obtained. When the picking roller speed was 260 r/min, the longitudinal dimension of the concave grate sieve pores was 90 mm, the harvesting gap was 40 mm, and the feed rate was 3.3 kg/s. Moreover, the harvesting net rate, breakage rate, and entrapment loss rate were 94.61%, 3.78%, and 0.85%, respectively. Verification testing was carried out based on the optimal parameters, and the results showed that the harvesting net rate, breakage rate, and entrapment loss rate were 95.73%, 3.54%, and 0.84%, respectively. A comprehensive scheme to optimize the peanut harvesting process was proposed to overcome harvesting problems and improve harvest quality. The study conclusions provide theoretical guidance for developing improved tangential-flow peanut-harvesting technology and equipment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations and Practices of Agricultural Green Mechanized Production Technology)
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15 pages, 4771 KiB  
Article
Soil Particle Modeling and Parameter Calibration Based on Discrete Element Method
by Dongxu Yan, Jianqun Yu, Yang Wang, Long Zhou, Ye Tian and Na Zhang
Agriculture 2022, 12(9), 1421; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12091421 - 08 Sep 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2136
Abstract
In order to establish a Discrete Element Method (DEM) model of soil particles, the soil in the laboratory soil bin was used as the research object. The soil texture was determined to be sandy loam by sieving, and the shape of the soil [...] Read more.
In order to establish a Discrete Element Method (DEM) model of soil particles, the soil in the laboratory soil bin was used as the research object. The soil texture was determined to be sandy loam by sieving, and the shape of the soil particles was analyzed by an image particle analyzer to establish a geometric model of the soil particles. The Edinburgh Elasto-Plastic Adhesion (EEPA) model was chosen as the contact model for the soil particle simulation analysis, and the accuracy of the model selection was determined by texture tests. The parameters in the contact model played a crucial role in the results of the simulation. Test methods were used to obtain parameters for the soil particles that were easy to measure. For parameters that could not be measured in the contact model, a direct shear test was used as the calibration test, and after screening the sensitive parameters using the PB test, the response surface method was used to calibrate the sensitive parameters. The accuracy of the calibration results was verified by comparing the simulation and test results of the direct shear test under different loadings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations and Practices of Agricultural Green Mechanized Production Technology)
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14 pages, 4788 KiB  
Article
Effects of Tillage Methods on Crop Root Growth Trend Based on 3D Modeling Technology
by Yanshan Yang, Zhichao Hu, Fengwei Gu, Jiangnan Wang and Qishuo Ding
Agriculture 2022, 12(9), 1411; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12091411 - 07 Sep 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1314
Abstract
Strip rotary tillage seeding technology has been widely used in rice–wheat rotation system, benefiting the economy greatly. The purpose of farming is to create a comfortable seedbed environment for crop growth. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the effects of tillage methods on [...] Read more.
Strip rotary tillage seeding technology has been widely used in rice–wheat rotation system, benefiting the economy greatly. The purpose of farming is to create a comfortable seedbed environment for crop growth. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the effects of tillage methods on wheat root configuration and growth trend in the research of strip tillage, instead of just focusing on optimizing the shape of tillage tools, sowing methods, and soil fragmentation. To clarify the effects of different tillage methods on crop root growth trends, a two-year wheat planting experiment was carried out. Strip tillage (ST1 and ST2) and full width tillage treatment (FT) were designed, 3D models of root structure and soil on the surface of the seedbed wall were established, and four quantitative indexes were proposed: soil surface roughness of seedbed wall (SR), difference coefficient of root soil space occupation (P), difference coefficient of root angle expansion trend (PA), and difference coefficient of root length expansion trend (PL). The results showed that the cultivation method directly affects the growth trend of wheat roots. The wheat roots tended to grow along the inter-specific direction under ST treatment on the 14th day, and the average P, PA, and PL were as high as 38, 43, and 55, respectively. The SR produced by ST1 treatment was 70% lower than that of ST2 treatment, suggesting ST1 treatment had more serious restrictions on root growth. P, PA, and PL in ST1 treatment were 38.5%, 14%, and 43% higher than those in ST2 treatment within 14 days, respectively. This paper briefly explains the effects of tillage methods on the growth trend of wheat roots, provides new methods and technologies for the rapid and effective acquisition of soil surface information, solved the problem of the trend of root expansion being difficult to quantify, and provided a new direction for the optimization of tillage methods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations and Practices of Agricultural Green Mechanized Production Technology)
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18 pages, 3434 KiB  
Article
Cutting Mechanical Properties of Pumpkin Grafted Seedling Investigated by Finite Element Simulation and Experiment
by Daipeng Lu, Wei Wang, Encai Bao, Shilin Wang, Xue Wu, Zongchun Bai and Yuxin Tang
Agriculture 2022, 12(9), 1354; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12091354 - 01 Sep 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1302
Abstract
The cutting device in the seedling grafting process was studied, which provided a reference for optimizing the structural parameters and working parameters of important shearing components in the seedling grafting line, thereby improving the performance of the cutting device. The dynamic cutting process [...] Read more.
The cutting device in the seedling grafting process was studied, which provided a reference for optimizing the structural parameters and working parameters of important shearing components in the seedling grafting line, thereby improving the performance of the cutting device. The dynamic cutting process of the cutting device was numerically simulated. The effects of four factors, the average cutting speed (X1), the sliding angle (X2), the cutting edge angle (X3), and the cutter clearance (X4) on the cutting force, were studied. The optimal combination of structural parameters and working parameters of the cutting device was determined. The simulation results showed that the sliding angle (X2) and the cutting edge angle (X3) affect the ultimate cutting stress. The average cutting speed (X1) and the cutter clearance (X4) affect the ultimate cutting force. When X1, X2, X3, and X4 are 579 mm/s, 39°, 25°, and 1.4 mm, respectively, it is the better combination parameter, and the ultimate cutting equivalent stress of the cutting device is 0.32 Mpa. A high-speed cutting device for grafted seedlings was built, and the cutting experiment was carried out. The experiment results showed that the simulated values fit well with the experimental data. Under the optimal combination of cutting parameters, the cutting stress of the cutting device was smaller. The finite element simulation of the seedling grafting cutting device reduces the experiment cost and provides a reference for developing the seedling grafting line. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations and Practices of Agricultural Green Mechanized Production Technology)
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12 pages, 2567 KiB  
Article
Analysis and Experiment of Dynamic Picking Process of Spindle of Cotton Picker
by Haiyang Li, Xiuqing Fu, Hongwen Zhang, Longchang Zhang, Meng Wang, Lei Wang, Xintian Du, Ximei Wei and Xuewen Fu
Agriculture 2022, 12(9), 1346; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12091346 - 31 Aug 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1773
Abstract
The spindle is a key core component of a cotton picker, and its operating parameters directly affect the quality of cotton harvesting. In this study, the spindle was selected as the research object. The kinematics and mechanics analysis of the cotton-picking process was [...] Read more.
The spindle is a key core component of a cotton picker, and its operating parameters directly affect the quality of cotton harvesting. In this study, the spindle was selected as the research object. The kinematics and mechanics analysis of the cotton-picking process was conducted, the dynamic motion trajectory of the spindle was obtained, and the working parameters affecting the picking performance of the spindle were determined. A test bench for spindle picking performance was built; the spindle speed and feed speed were used as test factors; the seed cotton rejection rate, picking time, and picking force were used as evaluation indices for spindle picking performance; and a full-factor test was conducted. The range, variance, and regression analyses were conducted on the test results, and the results showed that spindle speed and feed speed had significant effects on seed cotton rejection rate, picking force, and picking time (p < 0.01). The primary and secondary order of factors affecting seed cotton rejection rate and picking time were spindle speed and feed speed, and the primary and secondary order of factors affecting picking force were feed and spindle speed. By comprehensively analyzing the influence of factors on the evaluation indices, the best combination was obtained as the spindle speed and feed speed of 4000 r/min and 1.8 m/s, respectively. The research results have theoretical research value and practical significance for revealing the picking law of spindles when rotating at a high speed and then realizing efficient cotton harvesting. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations and Practices of Agricultural Green Mechanized Production Technology)
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17 pages, 5071 KiB  
Article
Working Mechanism and Parameter Optimization of a Crushing and Impurity Removal Device for Liquid Manure
by Biao Ma, Mingjiang Chen, Aibing Wu, Jingjing Fu, Zhichao Hu and Binxing Xu
Agriculture 2022, 12(8), 1228; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12081228 - 15 Aug 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1352
Abstract
Aiming to solve the problems of easy clogging and high energy consumption of multi-way fertilization devices for liquid manure, a crushing and impurity removal device for liquid manure was designed by combining the physical characteristics of liquid manure and impurities, and building the [...] Read more.
Aiming to solve the problems of easy clogging and high energy consumption of multi-way fertilization devices for liquid manure, a crushing and impurity removal device for liquid manure was designed by combining the physical characteristics of liquid manure and impurities, and building the corresponding test bench. The proposed device could crush flexible impurities such as straw and filoplume and intercept hard impurities with high density. The main structural parameters of the device were determined according to the survey analysis and the theoretical design. The influences of cutter head shape, cutter edge angle, cutter shaft speed, and cutting clearance on the disqualification rate and energy consumption of straw crushing were obtained by a single-factor experiment. Furthermore, the Box–Behnken central composite design method of the response surface was employed to investigate the effects of the cutter shaft speed, cutting clearance, and cutter edge angle on the disqualification rate and energy consumption of straw crushing. In addition, the working parameters of the device were optimized by employing the response surface method. On this basis, the mathematical relationship model among the disqualification rate, energy consumption, and all influencing factors was established. The results show that the optimal combination of working parameters includes a cutter shaft speed of 312 r/min, a cutting clearance of 1.4 mm, and a cutter edge angle of 45°. From the prediction model, the predicted failure rate was 4.15%, and the predicted energy consumption was 47.53 J. The verification experiment was then performed under the optimal combination of working parameters. The obtained disqualification rate was 4.08% and the energy consumption was 47.56 J, which met the design and work requirements. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations and Practices of Agricultural Green Mechanized Production Technology)
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20 pages, 9073 KiB  
Article
Experimental Study on the Particle Size and Weight Distribution of the Threshed Mixture in Corn Combine Harvester
by Ning Zhang, Jun Fu, Ruixue Wang, Zhi Chen, Qiankun Fu and Xuegeng Chen
Agriculture 2022, 12(8), 1214; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12081214 - 12 Aug 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1951
Abstract
The distribution of the threshed mixture is the link between the threshing and cleaning process during corn harvesting. Uneven distribution leads to a local accumulation of the mixture in the cleaning, resulting in high impurity and loss rate. Existing studies rarely concern the [...] Read more.
The distribution of the threshed mixture is the link between the threshing and cleaning process during corn harvesting. Uneven distribution leads to a local accumulation of the mixture in the cleaning, resulting in high impurity and loss rate. Existing studies rarely concern the distribution of the corn threshed mixture. To address this problem, the distribution experiment was conducted in a self-made corn longitudinal axial threshing system to explore the distribution pattern, and both the particle size distribution and weight distribution of components (corn kernel, corn cob, and corn husk) were analyzed in this study. The results showed that the drum speed and concave clearance has a significant effect on particle size. Moreover, the impurities (corn cob, corn husk) increase with the drum speed. The weight distribution has an obvious uneven trend. In the axial weight distribution, corn kernels increased initially and decreased afterwards, while corn cobs and corn husks constantly increased. In the radial weight distribution, corn kernels and corn cobs were greater on both sides and less in the middle; corn husks had a clear left posterior accumulation. The increase in drum speed and feed rate and the decrease in concave clearance aggravated the inhomogeneity of the weight distribution. By analyzing the distribution characteristics, the drum speed of 400 r/min, concave clearance of 40 mm, and feed rate of 7 kg/s were confirmed to be optimal operating parameters. Under these conditions, the accumulation of the threshed mixture was weakened, which provided a satisfactory base for the subsequent cleaning. This study could provide a data support for the improvement of the threshing system. Additionally, this study is believed to have the potential to be used for the structural design of the cleaning system to reduce mixture accumulation and improve the cleaning performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations and Practices of Agricultural Green Mechanized Production Technology)
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14 pages, 6993 KiB  
Article
Research on Integrated Navigation System of Agricultural Machinery Based on RTK-BDS/INS
by Yourui Huang, Jiahao Fu, Shanyong Xu, Tao Han and Yuwen Liu
Agriculture 2022, 12(8), 1169; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12081169 - 05 Aug 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2523
Abstract
To improve the positioning accuracy and reliability of autonomous navigation agricultural machinery and reduce the cost of high-precision positioning, an integrated navigation system based on Real-Time Dynamic Kinematic BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (RTK-BDS) and Inertial Navigation System (INS) is designed in this study. [...] Read more.
To improve the positioning accuracy and reliability of autonomous navigation agricultural machinery and reduce the cost of high-precision positioning, an integrated navigation system based on Real-Time Dynamic Kinematic BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (RTK-BDS) and Inertial Navigation System (INS) is designed in this study. On the one hand, an autonomous navigation control board is designed and made in the system, which integrates BDS high-precision analysis module, Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) module, and radio module, and realizes the integrated navigation algorithm on the control board. On the other hand, low-cost RTK technology is realized by building differential reference stations and vehicle-mounted mobile stations. Experiments are carried out on actual farm machinery under different road conditions including open road, signal-shielded road, and urban congested road. According to the angular velocity and acceleration information from INS and the position and velocity information from the BDS high-precision analysis module, the system uses Kalman filter algorithm for data fusion to calculate the precise position, velocity, and attitude information of agricultural machinery in real time. The experimental results show that the position error of the integrated navigation system on the open road is within 3 cm, the azimuth error is within 0.6°, and the inclination error is within 1°, all of which converge rapidly when encountering bad road conditions. It can be known from the experimental results that the RTK-BDS/INS integrated navigation system has high positioning accuracy, strong adaptive anti-interference ability, and low implementation cost of RTK technology, which provides a reliable way for automatic navigation control of agricultural machinery. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations and Practices of Agricultural Green Mechanized Production Technology)
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16 pages, 4743 KiB  
Article
Design of Hydrostatic Chassis Drive System for Large Plant Protection Machine
by Chengliang Zhang, Changpu Li, Chunzhao Zhao, Lei Li, Guanlei Gao and Xiyuan Chen
Agriculture 2022, 12(8), 1118; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12081118 - 29 Jul 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1915
Abstract
In order to meet the working performance of large plant protection machine and according to the actual working requirements, this paper proposes a design of hydrostatic chassis drive system for a large plant protection machine. The purpose of this study is to realize [...] Read more.
In order to meet the working performance of large plant protection machine and according to the actual working requirements, this paper proposes a design of hydrostatic chassis drive system for a large plant protection machine. The purpose of this study is to realize the anti-slip rotation function of the plant protection machine and improve the driving stability through the combination of a hydraulic drive system and shunt valve. In this study, a closed circuit with a single pump and four motors is used, and a diverter valve is used to prevent the wheels from skidding during the driving of the plant protection machine. The parameters of the main hydraulic components of the hydraulic drive system were firstly calculated and selected; then the AMESim software was used to model and simulate the hydraulic drive system. Finally, a test platform with anti-skid function is designed and built, and the test results are as follows: when the diverter valve is closed, the plant protection machine drives at 3 km/h and 6 km/h respectively, and the skid rate is 3.79% and 6.17%; when the diverter valve is open, the plant protection machine drives at 3 km/h and 6 km/h respectively, and the skid rate is 1.33% and 2.70% respectively. The test results show that the hydraulic chassis of the plant protection machine designed in this study has good driving stability and can effectively reduce the slip rate of the plant protection machine in the process of driving in the field, which provides an effective theoretical support for the design of the driving system of the hydraulic chassis of the plant protection machine. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations and Practices of Agricultural Green Mechanized Production Technology)
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18 pages, 4093 KiB  
Article
Analysis and Experiment on the Seed Metering Mechanism of Multi-Grain Cluster Air Suction Type Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Hill Direct Seed Metering Device
by Han Tang, Changsu Xu, Fangyu Guo, Zhigang Yao, Yeming Jiang, Rui Guan, Xiaobo Sun and Jinwu Wang
Agriculture 2022, 12(8), 1094; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12081094 - 26 Jul 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1981
Abstract
This paper aims to solve the problem of high reseeding rates and mis-seeding rates in the rice multi-grain hole direct seeding process. A multi grain cluster air suction type rice hill direct seed metering device was developed, and its seeding mechanism was analyzed. [...] Read more.
This paper aims to solve the problem of high reseeding rates and mis-seeding rates in the rice multi-grain hole direct seeding process. A multi grain cluster air suction type rice hill direct seed metering device was developed, and its seeding mechanism was analyzed. Based on CFD-DEM coupling simulation and bench tests, this study explored and optimized the performance of the seed metering device, and carried out the seeding adaptability test. The simulation results were as follows: when the negative pressure was −5 kPa, the static pressure, dynamic pressure and velocity of the flow field reached the maximum. When the negative pressure was −4 kPa, the qualification index was 89.62%, the reseeding index was 4.36%, and the mis-seeding index was 6.02%. The results of the orthogonal rotation combination test of three factors and five levels showed that when the rotation speed, negative pressure and the length of stirring brush were 20.70 rpm, −4.0 kPa and 10.50 mm respectively, the seed metering performance was the best, the qualification index was 90.85%, the reseeding index was 4.41% and the mis-seeding index was 4.74%. The seed metering device had strong adaptability to the sowing of different rice varieties, and met the agronomic requirements of direct seeding and seeding in rice holes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations and Practices of Agricultural Green Mechanized Production Technology)
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17 pages, 5089 KiB  
Article
Calibration and Verification Test of Cinnamon Soil Simulation Parameters Based on Discrete Element Method
by Yiqing Qiu, Zhijun Guo, Xin Jin, Pangang Zhang, Shengjie Si and Fugui Guo
Agriculture 2022, 12(8), 1082; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12081082 - 22 Jul 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 1862
Abstract
To obtain the discrete element simulation model parameters suitable for the interaction between cinnamon soil and soil-engaging components, the Hertz–Mindlin with JKR contact model in EDEM simulation software was used to calibrate the relevant model parameters of cinnamon soil. Firstly, the particle size [...] Read more.
To obtain the discrete element simulation model parameters suitable for the interaction between cinnamon soil and soil-engaging components, the Hertz–Mindlin with JKR contact model in EDEM simulation software was used to calibrate the relevant model parameters of cinnamon soil. Firstly, the particle size distribution, moisture content, volume density, Poisson’ s ratio, shear modulus, and other parameters of the cinnamon soil were measured with cinnamon soil as the research object. Further, taking the stacking angle as the response value, the Plackett–Burman test, the steepest climbing test, and the Box–Behnken were designed by using the Design-Expert software to calibrate and optimize the physical parameters of soil simulation. The optimal parameter combination was obtained: cinnamon soil–cinnamon soil rolling friction coefficient was 0.08, soil JKR surface energy was 0.37 J/m−2, and cinnamon soil–steel static friction coefficient was 0.64. Finally, the discrete element simulation verification test of stacking angle and cutting resistance was carried out under the calibrated parameters. The comparative calculation showed that the relative error between the simulated stacking angle and the measured stacking angle was 0.253%, and the maximum relative error between the simulated cutting resistance and the measured cutting resistance was 10.32%, which was within the acceptable range, indicating the high accuracy and reliability for the calibration parameters. The research results have important reference value for the energy-saving and consumption-reducing design of soil tillage components and provide basic data for the simulation of cutting resistance research of cinnamon-soil-engaging components. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations and Practices of Agricultural Green Mechanized Production Technology)
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22 pages, 6679 KiB  
Article
Simulation and Experimental Study of a Split High-Speed Precision Seeding System
by Bo Lu, Xiangdong Ni, Shufeng Li, Kezhi Li and Qingzheng Qi
Agriculture 2022, 12(7), 1037; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12071037 - 16 Jul 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1994
Abstract
According to the agronomic requirements of cotton precision seeding, the researchers designed a split seeding system to achieve high-speed precision seeding on the membrane. The 3D models used in the simulation process were created using Solidworks. They used the built-in Flow Simulation plug-in [...] Read more.
According to the agronomic requirements of cotton precision seeding, the researchers designed a split seeding system to achieve high-speed precision seeding on the membrane. The 3D models used in the simulation process were created using Solidworks. They used the built-in Flow Simulation plug-in in SolidWorks to simulate the flow field in the drum and to grasp the air velocity and pressure changes. The CFD-DEM (computational fluid dynamics and discrete element method) coupling method was used to simulate the positive pressure airflow to transport the seeds, so as to grasp the movement of the seeds in the seed tube. EDEM (engineering discrete element modeling) was used to simulate the seeding process of the hole seeder, to understand the movement speed and trajectory of the seeds inside the hole seeder, and to analyze the reasons for missed seeding and reseeding. A three-factor, five-stage quadratic rotation orthogonal combination test was designed using Design-expert 13.0 software. This test evaluates the performance of a split seeding system by establishing a response surface for the seed rate, using the hole seeder speed, negative pressure, and hole diameter as test factors. The optimal parameter combination is obtained by optimizing the regression equation, which is further verified by bench tests. Under the hole seeding speed of 47.98 r/min, the negative pressure of 1.96 kPa and the hole diameter of 3.5 mm, the precision seeding system achieved a single seed rate of 90.9% and a missed seed rate of 4.3%. The verification test results are consistent with the optimization results, which meet the agronomic requirements of high-speed precision film seeding. This research provides a better technical solution for the application development of a precision seeder. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations and Practices of Agricultural Green Mechanized Production Technology)
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15 pages, 5570 KiB  
Article
Experimental Study on Direct Harvesting of Corn Kernels
by Liquan Yang, Qingqing Lü and Hongmei Zhang
Agriculture 2022, 12(7), 919; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12070919 - 24 Jun 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2244
Abstract
The mechanical harvesting of corn has always been a problem for the development of the corn industry. In the present investigation, a tangential flow–transverse axial flow threshing test system was designed based on the 4YL-4/5 harvester. The structure design was modular, and the [...] Read more.
The mechanical harvesting of corn has always been a problem for the development of the corn industry. In the present investigation, a tangential flow–transverse axial flow threshing test system was designed based on the 4YL-4/5 harvester. The structure design was modular, and the threshing drum and other key parts could be changed, or the technical parameters could be adjusted according to the needs. Thus, the system becomes suitable to carry out the threshing test of various grains. In this paper, two kinds of systems, a cylindrical plate-tooth mixed row threshing drum and a full cylindrical threshing drum, were designed. Using the same materials and technical conditions, a comparative experiment of the corn grain harvest was carried out to explore the mechanical–technical conditions and methods to reduce the grain breakage rate of corn’s direct harvest.The results showed that the threshing ability and adaptability of the cylinder with a plate-tooth mixed arrangement structure were higher than those of the full cylinder arrangement structure. It was also found that for a higher moisture content (above 28%) of the maize ear, the grain breakage rate met the national standard. On the other hand, the cylinder with a plate-tooth threshing drum can support a wider range of moisture contents and drum peripheral velocities than the full cylinder threshing drum. Within the range of all tested moisture contents and drum peripheral velocities, the minimum grain breakage rate of the full cylinder tooth drum was 3.7%, and the minimum grain breakage rate of the cylinder with the plate-tooth threshing drum was 1.5%, which means a reduction of 59.5% of the breakage rate was achieved. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations and Practices of Agricultural Green Mechanized Production Technology)
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12 pages, 3909 KiB  
Article
Friction and Wear Properties of Wheat Straw Powder Third Body on Steel-Steel Friction Pair
by Chenglong Lian, Wei Zhao, Shumei Wang, Peng Zhang, Xiaoying Dong and Yongfeng Li
Agriculture 2022, 12(6), 882; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12060882 - 18 Jun 2022
Viewed by 2019
Abstract
Third body plant fibers have an important influence on the friction and wear properties of metal friction pairs. In this study, wheat straw powder with different particle sizes was prepared, and a pin-on-disk friction tester was employed to evaluate the friction and wear [...] Read more.
Third body plant fibers have an important influence on the friction and wear properties of metal friction pairs. In this study, wheat straw powder with different particle sizes was prepared, and a pin-on-disk friction tester was employed to evaluate the friction and wear properties of the wheat straw powder third body on steel friction pairs under various conditions. The results show that the straw powder played an isolation role in the steel–steel friction pair, which reduced the contact area between the pin and the disc and thus reduced the friction coefficient. Compared with the large particle size powder, the small particle size powder became embedded in the friction interface or in the groove caused by wear, buffered the friction stress, and reduced the friction coefficient and wear. When lubricants such as lubricating oil or lubricating grease were added, the friction coefficient was significantly reduced. Under the influence of lubricant, the particle size of straw powder had no significant effect on the wear. The results of this study can provide a reference for the third body friction and wear properties of straw powder and the design of friction pairs for metal parts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations and Practices of Agricultural Green Mechanized Production Technology)
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18 pages, 7327 KiB  
Article
Analysis and Evaluation of the Influence of Different Drum Forms of Peanut Harvester on Pod-Pickup Quality
by Bokai Wang, Fengwei Gu, Mingzhu Cao, Huanxiong Xie, Feng Wu, Baoliang Peng and Zhichao Hu
Agriculture 2022, 12(6), 769; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12060769 - 27 May 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2595
Abstract
Aiming at the problems of high missed-pickup rate and crushed rate caused by different types of peanut harvester pickup drums, by tracking a field comparative experiment from 2020 to 2021, the missed-pickup rate, missed-pickup quality distribution, crushed rate and quality distribution rule of [...] Read more.
Aiming at the problems of high missed-pickup rate and crushed rate caused by different types of peanut harvester pickup drums, by tracking a field comparative experiment from 2020 to 2021, the missed-pickup rate, missed-pickup quality distribution, crushed rate and quality distribution rule of pods with different degrees of crushing observed in two peanut varieties with different pickup drums were studied. Three kinds of pod-pickup drums were set up: axial flow (T1), tangential flow (T2) and tangential–axial flow (T3), and they were installed on the pickup harvester to form three kinds of pickup and harvest test stands. At the same time, a control test stand (CK) without pod-pickup drums was set up. Peanut varieties “Shanhua 9” and “Huayu22” and 10 water content levels were used. Using Origin2018 software, the missed-pickup rate, missed-pickup quality distribution, crushed rate and the quality distribution of pods with different degrees of crushing were statistically analyzed for the two peanut varieties harvested by different pickup drums. The results showed that the average missed-pickup rate was T1, T2 and T3, in order from small to large. The order of pickup quality from more to less was small pods, medium pods and large pods, which indicated that small pods were more likely to be missed. The average pod crushed rates for T1, T2 and T3 for Shanhua 9 were 2.06%, 2.19% and 2.45%, and those of T1, T2 and T3 for Huayu22 were 1.74%, 1.91% and 2.23%, so the order of pod crushed rates from small to large was T1, T2 and T3. At the same time, the crushed rate of T1, T2 and T3 to the two varieties decreased obviously with the decrease in water content. After the T1 test, the proportion of medium and severely crushed pods was the least, followed by T2, and the highest was T3. At the same time, the higher the water content, the higher the proportion of medium and severely crushed pods, and the proportion of medium and severely crushed pods after the Huayu22 test was less than that of the Shanhua 9 test. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations and Practices of Agricultural Green Mechanized Production Technology)
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19 pages, 4060 KiB  
Article
Analysis and Experiment on the Impact of Various Hook Angle Factors on Spindle Picking Performance
by Lei Wang, Chenghai Yin, Longchang Zhang, Hongwen Zhang and Haiyang Li
Agriculture 2022, 12(6), 768; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12060768 - 27 May 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1860
Abstract
As the core component of the cotton picker, the structural characteristics of the spindle directly affect not only its picking performance but also different components of the cotton picker. Therefore, in order to reveal the influence of different angle parameters of hook teeth [...] Read more.
As the core component of the cotton picker, the structural characteristics of the spindle directly affect not only its picking performance but also different components of the cotton picker. Therefore, in order to reveal the influence of different angle parameters of hook teeth on the performance of the spindle and the optimal hook tooth angle parameters, this study analyzes the working principle of the picking mechanism of the cotton picker and establishes the force balance equation for the process of picking cotton from the spindle. By analyzing the structural characteristics of the spindle, the best section shape of the spindle head is the equilateral triangle section. The spindle with different angle parameters was made by a metal 3D printer, and the testbed for the dynamic picking performance of the spindle was constructed. The single-factor test was carried out with tooth groove angle before the tooth angle and tooth inclination angle as experimental factors, and the rejection rate of seed cotton, picking time, and picking force as evaluation indexes. The results showed that the tooth groove angle and the tooth inclination angle were negatively correlated with the rejection rate of seed cotton (P < 0.01), and the tooth inclination angle was positively correlated with the picking time (p < 0.01). Further analysis shows that in order to reduce the ejection rate of seed cotton and reduce the picking time, the selection range of the tooth inclination angle should be 55~65°, and the large the tooth groove angle should be selected. Finally, the optimum hook angle parameters are determined as follows: tooth groove angle is 70° before the tooth angle is 89°, and the tooth inclination angle is 65°. The results are of practical significance to optimize the structure of picking hook tooth to improve the picking performance of the spindle and high efficiency of the cotton picker. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations and Practices of Agricultural Green Mechanized Production Technology)
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13 pages, 22705 KiB  
Article
Design and Experiment of Horizontal Transplanter for Sweet Potato Seedlings
by Wei Yan, Mingjuan Hu, Kun Li, Jia Wang and Wenyi Zhang
Agriculture 2022, 12(5), 675; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12050675 - 09 May 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2378
Abstract
In view of the problems of the difficulties faced in horizontal planting; high labor intensity, poor operation quality and low economy in the existing sweet potato bare seedling transplanting technology and equipment, combined with the agronomic requirements of sweet potato planting and transplanting, [...] Read more.
In view of the problems of the difficulties faced in horizontal planting; high labor intensity, poor operation quality and low economy in the existing sweet potato bare seedling transplanting technology and equipment, combined with the agronomic requirements of sweet potato planting and transplanting, a sweet potato bare seedling horizontal transplanter is designed, which can realize multiple processes such as rotary tillage and ridging, ditching and transplanting, covering soil and standing seedlings. The main parameters affecting the working performance and operation effect of the whole machine are analyzed, determining the relevant position and motion parameters, taking the forward speed of machines and tools, spacing of the ribbons and spiral speed as the influencing factors of the performance test, selecting the qualified rate of plant spacing as the evaluation index, and designing a three-factor and three-level orthogonal test. The test results show that the primary and secondary order of the significance of the qualified rate Z of plant spacing is B, A and C. The better horizontal combination of influencing factors is that the forward speed of machines and tools is 0.17 m·s−1, the spacing of the ribbons is 110 mm, and the spiral speed is 170 rpm. The field test results showed that the average Z-value of plant spacing qualification rate under the optimal factor level combination was 91.87%, which met the relevant technical standards and agronomic requirements. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations and Practices of Agricultural Green Mechanized Production Technology)
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16 pages, 4881 KiB  
Article
Optimization of Strip Fertilization Planter for Straw Throwing and Paving
by Yinyan Shi, Hanwen Yu, Ye Jiang, Xiaochan Wang, Hongtao Chen and Hui Liu
Agriculture 2022, 12(5), 613; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12050613 - 26 Apr 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1879
Abstract
To enhance the operation effect and working performance of our previously developed strip fertilization planter for broken straw back throwing and inter-row laying, and to improve the stability of straw crushing and consistency of straw mulching between rows (broken straw inter-row mulching), the [...] Read more.
To enhance the operation effect and working performance of our previously developed strip fertilization planter for broken straw back throwing and inter-row laying, and to improve the stability of straw crushing and consistency of straw mulching between rows (broken straw inter-row mulching), the key operation parameters of the planter were optimized in this study. On the basis of determining the transmission route and matching power consumption, the discrete element method was used to establish a mechanical model of straw particles using the EDEM software, which was then imported into the rigid–flexible coupled system of the ‘shredded straw-mechanism’. Quadratic regression orthogonal methods and rotation combination experiments were then designed to carry out a DEM virtual simulation and numerical simulation, and the optimal combination of operating parameters affecting planter working performance was obtained, which was also verified by field tests. The simulation test results showed that the smashing spindle speed (A) had the most significant influence on the coefficient of variation (Y1) of straw crushing, followed by the planter working forward speed (C). The conveying impeller speed (B) had the most significant influence on the coefficient of variation (Y2) of inter-row straw mulching, also followed by (C). The optimal combination of operating parameters after optimization were A = 2060.79 rpm, B = 206.25 rpm, and C = 0.95 m·s−1, and the optimal working performance of the planter was obtained as Y1 = 8.51% and Y2 = 10.34%. The evaluation index results corresponding to the field test were Y1 = 9.35% and Y2 = 10.97%, which met the technical requirements of the relevant operation machinery; the relative errors of the simulation test results were 9.87% and 9.63%, respectively, indicating the effectiveness of the virtual numerical simulation and the rationality of the optimized operation parameters. Our results provide a technical reference for realizing high-quality and smooth no-tillage seeding operations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations and Practices of Agricultural Green Mechanized Production Technology)
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15 pages, 4652 KiB  
Article
Simulation and Test of “Separated Burying Device” of Green Manure Returning Machine Based on the EDEM Software
by Wang Yang, Jinfei Zhao, Xinying Liu, Linqiao Xi and Jiean Liao
Agriculture 2022, 12(5), 569; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12050569 - 19 Apr 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2128
Abstract
Today, China’s orchard area covers 11,874,850 ha. With China’s progress in implementing the strategy of “quality-based and environmental-friendly agricultural development”, green manure has been developed as a modernized green soil management method for use in orchard areas. Green manure shows the highest decomposition [...] Read more.
Today, China’s orchard area covers 11,874,850 ha. With China’s progress in implementing the strategy of “quality-based and environmental-friendly agricultural development”, green manure has been developed as a modernized green soil management method for use in orchard areas. Green manure shows the highest decomposition rate with a ploughing depth of 150 mm. To efficiently utilize green manure in orchard areas, a “separated burying device” was designed, which can realize “stalk falling and soil falling” simultaneously. The device was composed of rotary blades, an iron chain separation curtain, soil retaining board and compacting machine. The cooperation parameters of different parts of the proposed device were designed through a discrete element simulation test, and a cooperative parameter model of the proposed device was constructed. According to the simulation test, the highest coverage of the prototype (95.16%) was achieved only when the knife roller center of rotary tillage moved to the point where it had a horizontal distance of 378.76 mm from the root of the “iron chain separation curtain”, the width of the transverse soil retaining board was 187.78 mm and the included angle of the soil retaining board θ was 116.48°. Based on a model verification test, the burying rate was found to be 94.36%, which differed slightly from the simulation test results. The burying rate increased by 4.84% upon the application of a “separated burying device”. The “separated burying device” was able to increase the burying rate of green manure between rows in the orchard area. It is conducive to the full utilization of green manure resources and lays good sowing foundations for green manure resowing. The construction of a “separated burying device” and its cooperative parameter model can provide insight into the research, development and optimization of relevant machines, such as the stalk returning machine. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations and Practices of Agricultural Green Mechanized Production Technology)
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14 pages, 3515 KiB  
Article
Design and Experiment of an Integrated Automatic Transplanting Mechanism for Picking and Planting Pepper Hole Tray Seedlings
by Shuangyan Hu, Minjuan Hu, Wei Yan and Wenyi Zhang
Agriculture 2022, 12(4), 557; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12040557 - 13 Apr 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2747
Abstract
The operation of the semi-automatic pepper pot seedling transplanter has the problem of a low frequency of manual operation. We designed a new automatic transplanting mechanism based on a clamping stem. Through the movement law of a double-crank connecting rod mechanism, the static [...] Read more.
The operation of the semi-automatic pepper pot seedling transplanter has the problem of a low frequency of manual operation. We designed a new automatic transplanting mechanism based on a clamping stem. Through the movement law of a double-crank connecting rod mechanism, the static trajectory of beak shape and the dynamic trajectory of N shape were designed to meet the requirements of backward transplanting. The kinematics equation of the seedling picking mechanism was established and the mechanism parameter optimization program was developed based on MATLAB. The effect of the mechanism parameter changes on the seedling movement trajectory was analyzed. A group of parameter combinations that met the requirements of seedling picking and planting were optimized. After optimization, the trajectory height was 220.8 mm, the picking angle was 21.03° and the planting angle was 64.15°. The plant spacing was 260 mm, which meets the agronomic requirements of pepper transplanting. Through the combination of theoretical analysis and prototype tests, the test results showed that the theoretical trajectory was basically consistent with the actual trajectory, verifying the feasibility of the mechanism design. In this study, pepper pot seedlings in the suitable planting period of 60 days were selected and planted at the rotation speed of 60, 70 and 80 r/min, respectively. The success rate of seedling selection was more than 91.1%, the success rate of planting was more than 78.5%, the qualified rate of erect degree was 94.9%, and the coefficient of variation of plant spacing was stable below 14.1%. The results show that the integrated automatic transplanting mechanism for pepper pot seedlings was effective. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations and Practices of Agricultural Green Mechanized Production Technology)
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21 pages, 10567 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Influencing Factors and Operation Quality Evaluation Strategy of Straw Crushing and Scattering System
by Bokai Wang, Fengwei Gu, Feng Wu, Junteng Ma, Hongchen Yang and Zhichao Hu
Agriculture 2022, 12(4), 508; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12040508 - 03 Apr 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1854
Abstract
First, through a single factor test, it was determined that the conveying and feeding speed range was 0.9~1.5 m/s, the rotating speed range of straw chopper shaft was 1900~2300 r/min, and the moisture content of straw was 26~34%. Then the Box–Behnken experimental design [...] Read more.
First, through a single factor test, it was determined that the conveying and feeding speed range was 0.9~1.5 m/s, the rotating speed range of straw chopper shaft was 1900~2300 r/min, and the moisture content of straw was 26~34%. Then the Box–Behnken experimental design method was adopted, with conveying and feeding speed, cutter shaft rotation speed, and straw moisture content as influencing factors; small and stable specific power consumption and maximum coverage uniformity are taken as evaluation indexes. The influence rules of various factors on operation indexes were analyzed, and response surface analysis was carried out. Further, the optimization function in Design-Expert12.0 was used to determine the optimal parameter combination as follows: Conveying and feeding speed of 0.8 m/s, rotating speed of cutter shaft of 2059.9 r/min, moisture content of straw of 30.7%, corresponding specific power consumption and coverage uniformity of 1163 J/s2 and 99.1%, respectively. Finally, the seeding system was mounted behind the straw crushing and scattering system for a field verification test. The results showed that when the crushing and scattering system of the whole machine operates with the design parameters, the specific power consumption was 1260 J/s2, the uniformity of straw coverage was 94.7%, and the error with the experimental value was less than 5%. The effect was better than the standard requirement. The test realized the crushing and uniform coverage of high-quality straw residues after rice harvest, which proved the scientific and reliable test-bed of the crushing and scattering system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations and Practices of Agricultural Green Mechanized Production Technology)
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22 pages, 7042 KiB  
Article
Energy Saving Performance of Agricultural Tractor Equipped with Mechanic-Electronic-Hydraulic Powertrain System
by Zhen Zhu, Yanpeng Yang, Dongqing Wang, Yingfeng Cai and Longhui Lai
Agriculture 2022, 12(3), 436; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12030436 - 21 Mar 2022
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3527
Abstract
Tractors are usually applied in field operations, road transport, and other operations. Modern agriculture has higher design requirements for tractor powertrains due to the complicated working environments and various operations. To meet the driving requirements of the tractor under multiple operations, a mechanic-electronic-hydraulic [...] Read more.
Tractors are usually applied in field operations, road transport, and other operations. Modern agriculture has higher design requirements for tractor powertrains due to the complicated working environments and various operations. To meet the driving requirements of the tractor under multiple operations, a mechanic-electronic-hydraulic powertrain system (MEH-PS) for tractors has been designed according to the characteristics of the hydro-mechanical composite transmission and electromechanical hybrid system. The principle of multiple driven and transmission modes of MEH-PS are introduced, the speed regulation characteristic curve of hydro-mechanical transmission (HMT) is given, and the related power element model, tractor model, and efficiency model are established. The HMT optimal economy transmission ratio control strategy and hybrid rule-based optimization energy management strategy were developed. Take three typical tractor operations for analysis: ploughing, harvesting, and transport. The results show that the engine operating points are mainly distributed in the higher load area, the tractor maintains high system efficiency, and the relative error between simulated and tested fuel consumption is within 5%, which further proves the reliability of the model. The solution also showed lower fuel consumption in all three operations compared to DLG’s announced PowerShift tractors and CVT tractors. Thus, the powertrain system can meet the tractor’s drive requirements under complex operating conditions and maintain high efficiency and is therefore suitable for tractors that need to operate frequently in the field and on the road. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations and Practices of Agricultural Green Mechanized Production Technology)
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16 pages, 6557 KiB  
Article
Field Investigation of the Static Friction Characteristics of High-Yielding Rice during Harvest
by Zheng Ma, Yongle Zhu, Shuren Chen, Souleymane Nfamoussa Traore, Yaoming Li, Lizhang Xu, Maolin Shi and Qian Zhang
Agriculture 2022, 12(3), 327; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12030327 - 24 Feb 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1569
Abstract
Background: Following the popularization of high-yielding rice in China, fast and efficient mechanized harvesting proved challenging. In addition, the physical characteristics of rice grains and stems are substantially affected during harvest by the field environment and harvest time. However, the combine harvester driver [...] Read more.
Background: Following the popularization of high-yielding rice in China, fast and efficient mechanized harvesting proved challenging. In addition, the physical characteristics of rice grains and stems are substantially affected during harvest by the field environment and harvest time. However, the combine harvester driver is focused on maximizing the outputs and does not consider the adverse effects of these factors during the rice harvest. Methods: We investigated the effects of the harvest time, spatial position, and temperature on the static friction coefficient of rice grains and stems of high-yielding rice using a field experiment. Results: The result difference in the static friction coefficient between the parallel and perpendicular placements of the rice stem on the steel plate was 9%, indicating that the contact configuration had a significant impact. The region, harvest time, and temperature significantly affected the static friction characteristics of the rice grains and stems. The most significant differences were observed in the X-direction. Conclusions: The optimum harvest time was 10:11 a.m.–3:30 p.m. and the optimum temperature was above 16.5 °C. A quantitative analysis of the effects of the harvest time and temperature on the static friction characteristics of rice provides reliable data for machine design optimization and standardization of harvests operations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations and Practices of Agricultural Green Mechanized Production Technology)
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13 pages, 3280 KiB  
Article
Effect of Micro- and Macro-Mechanical Characteristics of Jujube Bark on Jujube Girdling Quality
by Junhui Ran, Can Hu, Fengkui Zhang, Xufeng Wang and Ping Li
Agriculture 2022, 12(2), 278; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12020278 - 15 Feb 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1908
Abstract
Jujube girdling is an important method to improve the yield and quality of jujube fruit. However, girdling usually causes the tearing of jujube bark, resulting in the slow healing and even death of jujube trees. These problems directly affect the economic benefits of [...] Read more.
Jujube girdling is an important method to improve the yield and quality of jujube fruit. However, girdling usually causes the tearing of jujube bark, resulting in the slow healing and even death of jujube trees. These problems directly affect the economic benefits of jujube planting. In this paper, in order to reveal the tearing mechanism of jujube bark caused by girdling, and provide the basic mechanical parameters of jujube bark for the research and development of automatic girdling equipment, the structure and mechanical characteristics of jujube bark were studied through theory and experimental methods. The results of microscopic observation showed that jujube bark is a biological composite material mainly composed of the phloem, periderm and epidermis. Furthermore, a mathematical model-based analysis of the growth stress of jujube bark showed that growth stress can be regarded as a biaxial stress state, which can promote the longitudinal tearing of jujube bark during girdling. The tensile test results of jujube bark showed that jujube bark belongs to the category of anisotropic and biologic material. Its longitudinal and transverse mechanical characteristics are significantly different. The maximum longitudinal tensile load was in the range of 105.9~293 N, the longitudinal tensile strength was 16.3 MPa and the elastic modulus was 255.6 MPa. The average transverse tensile load was only 27.9% of the longitudinal tensile load. The transverse tensile strength was 3.5 Mpa and its elastic modulus was 724.14 MPa. The transverse cutting test of jujube bark showed that the average cutting force was 118.2 N and the cutting strength was 9.8 MPa. The results of this study showed that both the growth stress and the anisotropic natural polymer of jujube bark have adverse effects on girdling. Subsequently, issues relating to the selection of appropriate girdling tools and the matters needing attention in the process of the girdling operation were proposed, so as to guide the correct application of girdling technology. In addition, some suggestions on the research and development of girdling tools in the future are put forward. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations and Practices of Agricultural Green Mechanized Production Technology)
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15 pages, 7397 KiB  
Article
A Feeding Quantity Monitoring System for a Combine Harvester: Design and Experiment
by Tao Jiang, Zhuohuai Guan, Haitong Li, Senlin Mu, Chongyou Wu, Min Zhang, Gang Wang and Xu Chen
Agriculture 2022, 12(2), 153; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12020153 - 22 Jan 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2851
Abstract
Due to the commitment to the target of green mechanized production and precision agriculture, the operating parameters of the main functional components of a combine harvester need to be adjusted according to the feeding quantity. Therefore, feeding quantity monitoring is one of the [...] Read more.
Due to the commitment to the target of green mechanized production and precision agriculture, the operating parameters of the main functional components of a combine harvester need to be adjusted according to the feeding quantity. Therefore, feeding quantity monitoring is one of the key technologies of intelligent control for a combine harvester. In order to obtain the accurate information of feeding quantity in the harvesting operation process in real time, a monitoring system was set up to obtain the accurate information of feeding quantity in real time. The torque signal corresponding to different feeding quantity was obtained through bench calibration experiments. The signal was decomposed, noise reduced, and reconstructed through the analysis of the frequency range of the noise based on the wavelet transform. A fitting relationship between the torque and the feeding quantity was obtained. Field validation experiment results showed good consistency of the measured data and the actual quantity. This paper provides a theoretical basis and technical reference for subsequent research on intelligent control of combine harvesters. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations and Practices of Agricultural Green Mechanized Production Technology)
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15 pages, 2682 KiB  
Article
Calibration and Tests for the Discrete Element Simulation Parameters of Fallen Jujube Fruit
by Gaokun Shi, Jingbin Li, Longpeng Ding, Zhiyuan Zhang, Huizhe Ding, Ning Li and Za Kan
Agriculture 2022, 12(1), 38; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12010038 - 29 Dec 2021
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 2268
Abstract
Discrete element method (DEM) simulation is an important method to analyze the interaction relationship between materials and equipment, and to develop machinery and/or equipment. However, it is necessary to input specific simulation parameters when establishing a DEM simulation model. In this study, the [...] Read more.
Discrete element method (DEM) simulation is an important method to analyze the interaction relationship between materials and equipment, and to develop machinery and/or equipment. However, it is necessary to input specific simulation parameters when establishing a DEM simulation model. In this study, the interval values were measured through angle of repose tests of fallen jujube fruit (FJF), and the simulation angle of repose tests for FJF were established with EDEM software (DEM Solutions Ltd. Edinburgh, Scotland, UK). Then, the Plackett-Burman design, steepest ascent search experiment, and center composite design experimental methods were utilized to obtain the specific values of the simulation parameters from the interval values. The results showed that significant influencing factors in the simulation angle of repose include the Poisson’s ratio, the static friction coefficient between FJF, and the static friction coefficient between FJF and the steel plate, for which the optimal values were 0.248, 0.480, and 0.309, respectively. The angle of repose tests’ results showed that the error was 0.53% between the simulation angle of repose (29.69°) and the angle of repose (29.85°). In addition, the flow rate test results showed that the average error was 5.84% between the physical and simulation tests. This indicated that the calibrated parameters were accurate and reliable, and that the simulation model can accurately represent the physical tests. Consequently, this study provides an EDEM model of FJF that was essential in designing machinery and equipment through the EDEM simulation method. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations and Practices of Agricultural Green Mechanized Production Technology)
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